The Guardian of Azkaban 4: Crown of the King
by alterguild
Summary: HBP rewrite, character insert, fourth in series. Esdras Demnin returns to Hogwarts to face his destiny as King of Azkaban. But the trials he will face are many, and the divine legacy of the House of Demnin will be revealed. Reviews appreciated. KBOC
1. Correspondence

That's right, everyone! I talked about it and here it is, the fourth book in the Guardian of Azkaban series, telling the story of Esdras Demnin in his fourth and final year at Hogwarts as a seventh year student. For those of you not familiar with my work, I request that you read the first three Guardian of Azkaban stories. They will give you all the background you need. While you're there, review it, too.

Remember, like the HP books themselves, if you start in the middle, you're going to be confused about a few things. And as always, I offer my standard warnings. _Text in italics is in Azkabaaner, the native language of Dementors_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

All that said, I proudly present to you… 

The Guardian of Azkaban

Book 4: Crown of the King

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Chapter 1 – Correspondence 

Katie Bell smiled softly as she sat down at her desk with her stationary. She sat in front of the blank parchment thoughtfully, quill in hand, organizing her thoughts. It had been over a month since the end of the school year, and Katie had been faithfully sending letters to her boyfriend, even though the replies had been few and far between. The object of her affections was Esdras Demnin, the only Dementor enrolled at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The three hundred fifteen year old Dementor was granted this distinction by way of the fact that he was an animagus, capable of taking human form.

Their relationship had started in their fourth year, when Esdras had been assigned to covertly protect Harry Potter when Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban prison. He had gone undercover as a student and the two became close. After the initial shock of his true nature had worn off, the pair started dating and the rest was history. Nearly three years later, the pair had survived trials as varied as a five man Triwizard Tournament, an Azkaban prison break, rogue Dementors, a hidden Death Eater Defense professor, and the horrors of Dolores Umbridge. And still the pair held fast, joined at the soul by ancient Azkaban magic, a blessing which allowed Katie ultimate protection from his terrible powers.

Currently, Katie had no earthly idea where Esdras was. The rise of the Dark Lord Voldemort and the growth of his sphere of influence had already started affecting Azkaban, and what affected Azkaban, affected Esdras. This was because Esdras was both a powerful rear admiral in the Azkaban Guard and the rightful king of Azkaban. He would be true king were it not for the Treaty of Edinburgh, the treaty between mortals and Dementors that had stripped the royal house of its power and established the current restrictions on the cloaked kind. Still, his royal heritage did make him the most powerful Dementor alive.

And that was why he was currently traveling, engaging in a diplomatic mission in an attempt to strengthen his position and organize followers against Voldemort's cause. With Voldemort now out in the open and mortals waged in a pitched war, the separatist factions of Azkaban were even more vocal. Voldemort was actively pursuing those on the island and abroad who were unhappy with the Treaty of Edinburgh, convincing them that he alone could restore Azkaban to its former glory. Now Esdras was doing his best, going around the world to the many Dementor settlements that made up the former commonwealth, attempting to staunch rebellions as they formed.

The last letter she had received from Esdras had been almost a fortnight ago and was postmarked Alcatraz in the United States. It was written in a tired hand, and outlined the travels he had undertaken. The poor Dementor had already visited the Dementor settlements on Madagascar, New Zealand, Iwo Jima, Midway, Easter Island, and Atlantis. He had written a cheerful enough note, but reading between the lines, Katie could tell that things were not going well. So once again, she put quill to parchment and poured her heart out so to cheer her love up.

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Bellmont

15 July, 1996

Dearest Esdras,

I am sad that you have been unable to write me for some time now, but as I have told you in my last few letters, you need only write me when you have the time. I understand how busy you are and I hope your travels are going well and that many Dementors are listening to you. You are doing the right thing, and if this helps protect Azkaban, I can survive not seeing you for a little while longer. I just ask that you take pictures during your travels. I want to see the places you've visited, too.

I thought I'd update you on what's been going on around here. You'll be pleased to know that my parents took me to the Ministry the other day. That's right; I took and passed my Apparation Exam. It was actually quite easy. I just imagined you were where they wanted me to go. I didn't splinch at all. So now you don't have to Side Along Apparate with me any more. Well, less often, anyway. It's more fun being close to you, I think.

We went to Diagon Alley afterwards and I got a chance to see Fred and George's new store. It is amazing! They're pulling in an incredible amount of money and are doing very well for themselves. They asked me how you are, and I told them what you're doing. And Esdras, they did the nicest thing. The next day, in the post, they sent me a little plush Dementor with a fleecy cloak. I don't know where they found it, but it's the softest thing ever. I sleep with it every night and think of you.

Veras Maul was by the other day to check on us and make sure that everyone is doing well. His infantry division is still guarding the house and they're so nice. They helped dad put up a shed in the backyard a few days ago and it looks very nice. One of the ensigns brought some Azkaban green mint seedlings for the garden. We don't know if they'll get enough shade to grow, but we hope they'll take.

Well, I'm sorry this letter is so short, but mom is calling me and telling me I have to set the table for dinner. As always, I send you my heart with this letter, and as you know, you already hold my soul. Please write back as soon as you can, and if you can come by, that would be even better. I love you with everything I am.

Yours forever,

Katie

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The mortal smiled and took the letter over to her dresser where she sprayed the parchment with her perfume. She then put it into an envelope and addressed it. She would ask one of the Dementors on guard for a high priority mail vulture after dinner.

* * *

Katie sighed slightly as she pulled out another piece of stationary and tapped her quill to it. What should have normally been a joyful event, Harry's birthday party, had been rather tainted by the news that Mr. Weasley had brought home about Death Eaters and renegade Dementors. This was not what Esdras needed to hear, not when preparing for an important meeting with the commander of the Aleutian Dementor base. 

She sighed and stood from her desk, pacing about the room. Her eyes finally fell on her plush Dementor and she picked it up, hugging her fleecy friend tight. Katie had long thought that she had outgrown stuffed animals; her beloved plush Hippogriff was long since stored away in the attic of the house. These days, however, it seemed that she was unable to sleep without the black cloaked toy firmly in her embrace.

Giving it a kiss on its cloaked forehead before taking it back to her desk, Katie sat down and again picked up the quill. Esdras would want to hear happy news, news that would keep him optimistic during the meetings and negotiations he was plowing through to keep his people whole. She inked her quill, and began to write.

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Bellmont

31 July, 1996

Dearest Esdras,

I have to admit that you missed the most interesting evening I've had in a while. Fred and George had sent me an invitation to Harry's birthday party. Their reasoning was, naturally, the more the merrier, and that any excuse for a party was an excuse for a big party. Not that I'm complaining, it was certainly an enjoyable evening.

You might be surprised to know that I ran into an old friend of ours there, Fleur Delacour. These days she's engaged to Bill Weasley and if ever a more sickeningly love struck couple, I have yet to see them. They even put us to shame, my dear. But, that is beside the point. I wish you could have seen her reaction when I walked in the door. I don't know if she was afraid that you would be behind me or if I would tell Bill about how she was fawning all over you during the Triwizard Tournament. But, she and I talked and, apart from her incredible arrogance, she is a rather nice girl. She asked where you were and how you are doing and I told her most of the truth. She wishes you luck, as does everyone here at home.

But you were missed especially during Fred and George's grand fireworks display. The pair virtually begged me to go back home and bring back a Dementor with me who would let a firework strike them to produce the great fireball. I did no such thing, of course, but the fireworks show was still one to behold.

Anyway, I won't keep you any longer. I wish you luck with the Aleutian Dementors. I pray they are wise enough to follow you. I send you all my love.

Yours forever,

Katie

* * *

The letter was written with a shaky hand and was written on a mere scrap of parchment. It hadn't even been sent by vulture, it had been hand delivered by a member of the Eighth Infantry to Esdras himself. It was the only distraction that interrupted the very important meeting between Rear Admiral Demnin and Vice Admiral Valahal, the commander of the Cyprus Regional Dementor Settlement and Operations Base. 

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Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix

11 August, 1996

Esdras,

We're safe, so don't worry. Aaron made it to Bellmont in the middle of the night and managed to get mom, dad, and me out of the house before the Death Eaters made their strike. We saw them approaching from the air, but they didn't see us. They must have had five divisions of Dementors at their command. Professor Lupin has been nice enough to allow us to stay at Order Headquarters until a more permanent solution can be found. Again, don't worry, we're safe. I love you.

Katie

* * *

Katie sat in a surprisingly comfortable room in 12 Grimmauld Place, the room she now considered to be hers. Between last year's initial cleanup effort by the Weasleys, the recent work put in by her old teacher, and the continuing work from her and her parents, the place looked almost livable. She looked out the window and sighed, the weather had been mist and fog for so long that she couldn't remember it having been anything else. The last letter from Esdras had explained it as Dementors openly defying the Treaty of Edinburgh by breeding, something they were not permitted to do without applying for permission. 

She sighed and flopped back on her bed, hugging her plushy Dementor tight to her chest. The last letter that Esdras sent was openly desperate. He no longer made any pretense of hoping for a peaceful resolution for his people. The whispered discussions that she would occasionally overhear between members of the Eighth Infantry told of division after division defecting and leaving Azkaban, only to reappear under the command of one of Voldemort's lieutenants. Katie was forced to consider a very real possibility that she had desperately wanted to deny. Esdras' actions were coming to naught; his nation would face civil war.

Katie wished there was better news on the mortal front for her to report, but sadly that was not the case. Just the other day, as the Order of the Phoenix was getting ready for a meeting, she ran into Albus Dumbledore. She had been shocked to see that his right hand and arm was now withered and black. He expertly dodged all her questions about it, but that made Katie feel even more concerned about the entire situation. Dumbledore had obviously sensed this and assured her that everything would be explained when the time was right, preferably once Esdras was there so he would only have to tell the story once.

She sat down at her desk and pulled out the final sheet of stationary from the box. Esdras had been stuck on Azkaban now for the last week. This would most likely be the last letter able to reach him before they boarded the Hogwarts Express together in two days time. Katie sighed and put quill to parchment for the last time, and words of encouragement poured forth.

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Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix

30 August, 1996

Dearest Esdras,

I know that you haven't had the time to write in nearly two weeks, but don't fear because the long summer is almost over and we will be together again soon. However, I thought that I would send you one last letter. Hopefully this will find you before you return to Hogwarts for the school year. I was so glad when you wrote to tell me that you would be returning. Mom and I were only too happy to go to Diagon Alley and get your school supplies for you. And before you start worrying, Veras and five of his officers went with us; all were dressed in riot cloaks. We were quite a sight walking down Diagon with those six in tow.

Your last letter worried me, and I beg you, my love, do not give up. You have done so much this summer to keep your people together. You have proven yourself to be a good and true king. I know that I am only a citizen of Azkaban by nature of our shared soul, but still I am proud that you are royalty. Despite any songs I may sing to the contrary on the Quidditch pitch, you alone are my king.

I eagerly await your in person reply to this letter when I see you at the station. You won't be able to miss me; I'll be the only one in a black cloak squeezing the life out of a plush Dementor. So please hurry, I'd rather have a real Dementor in my arms. See you soon.

Love forever,

Katie


	2. The Missing

Well, it's Monday, and it looks like you all have made the transfer between stories just fine, so it's time for another chapter! A word of note: this chapter and the next chapter both occur on the same day. This time, we see Katie's day.

My thanks as always to those of you who have read, and even more to those of you who have reviewed (in no particular order):

To the ever faithful KRP – Well, obviously they got the plates by breaking into her office. You're right; Esdras has already dealt with Umbridge appropriately for using his men to attack Harry with the night in the forest. About Katie and her cloak, she didn't have her hood up, but the cloak itself is enough to set Umbridge off, and Katie was wearing a summer weight cloak, a lighter and more airy garment (even Dementors can be fashionable in the summer). And as for Snape, let's be honest, no one liked Umbridge. Even Snape was happy to see her go, especially after the whole chewing out he received about the Veritaserum. And yes, Ian Tabris was one of the new recruits, and it appears quite obvious that he like mortals. Now for GoA4, Esdras isn't one to leave things half done, hence why he's finishing school. You're right; it was the Treaty of Edinburgh. I fixed that typo. And the other powers Esdras has are far more than the cloaks. You will see, my friend. And we'll run into Grim and Sidara in the next chapter, so hold on tight.

To the ever faithful Snood – You're right, of course. But even though what Esdras does and what Harry will have to do are not similar, the fact that he has support and is not alone should be comforting. As for Snape being nice to them, chalk it up to everyone being relaxed after Umbridge left. As for GoA4, I had to change my style for this chapter because I wanted to condense the entire summer into one chapter. I didn't think going around the world with Esdras to attend meetings would make for exciting reading. And no, the Death Eaters didn't destroy Bellmont, they just attacked it trying to get to the Bells. As for what happens to her parents, you'll see. You're right; Esdras didn't have a good summer. The next few chapters will answer all your questions about war, treaties, and colonies, so be patient. And I loved throwing in Alcatraz; you just know there has to be a base there.

NaginiFay – I'm glad you're enjoying everything and like the new story. Feel free to say hello anytime, you know. I always enjoy hearing from you.

Buffalo1 – Thank you! I'm glad you liked both the conclusion to GoA3 and the start of GoA4. I didn't think there was any other way than having the cadet commander take out the traitor commander. It brings a good sense of closure to that part of the story. And happy birthday!

SiriusllyBlack – Thank you! I'm glad you enjoy my work and I hope you continue to enjoy it. Welcome to the GoA family!

So as always, all the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed really should. I enjoy hearing from you and your reviews help to make me a better writer. Plus, I can answer any questions, comments, or concerns you may have. So go ahead, press the blue button at the bottom of the page and drop me a line.

As usual, my standard notes apply. _Text in italics is in Azkabaaner_, and I don't own HP.

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Chapter 2 – The Missing 

Katie pranced happily down the stairs of Grimmauld Place wearing a pair of jeans and one of Esdras' Guard Academy hoodies. She could be as loud as she wanted. No longer did the members of the Order of the Phoenix live in fear of the hideous portrait of Mrs. Black. The Weasley twins had perfected their remote controlled inflatable Dementor and the horrid old crone was still deathly afraid of even the sight of one. She gave the cloaked dummy a soft tap as she passed, setting it bobbing in the air.

She glided into the kitchen and sat down at the table. Currently, no less than a half dozen real Dementors were there, all being fed by Mrs. Bell, who had hijacked the kitchen and expanded upon Molly Weasley's work to turn it into a presentable place. As Katie sat down, her mother turned, looking just as happy as her daughter. "Wonderful news, darling. Esdras and Aaron have sent word that they think it'll safe for us to return home by the end of the month."

As the young mortal grinned, Captain Maul nodded quickly. "Esdras sent orders to rotate infantry deployments at Bellmont within the Fourth Fleet. You'll have a whole infantry division all the time."

Katie looked nervous at this. "Won't that leave Esdras short staffed at New Demnin?"

The captain shook his hood. "No. The Guard Command has expanded the Fourth Fleet to now include the 77th, 98th, and 100th Infantries, the 921st Ordnance, and the 778th Engineer Divisions." He held up a calming hand to assuage the young mortal. "All of these units have proven their loyalty to Esdras on numerous occasions and he personally selected them for inclusion in the fleet. You have nothing to worry about there."

As the Bells relaxed at this news, the rugged form of Remus Lupin sighed quietly. "Well, that's all well and good for you all, but once again I lose access to good, reliable food. First Molly, now you, Elizabeth."

Mrs. Bell laughed quietly and put a plate down in front of the werewolf. "You're welcome at Bellmont anytime, Remus, as I'm sure you're welcome at the Burrow. In fact, you could probably manage to get two of each meal every day if you put your mind to it."

The ex-professor smirked at this and poured himself a mug of tea. "I don't doubt it." He took a sip and winced. "One thing I won't miss is this green mint tea."

The Bells and the Dementors all cocked their heads curiously at Lupin, regarding him as if he had grown an extra head. Veras regarded the mortal and indicated the mug. "You know that stuff is good for you. Quite possibly the best thing you can drink."

Lupin shook his head and vanished the contents of the mug before getting up and going to the stove to put the kettle on. "Be that as it may, I much prefer a normal cup of tea in the morning. You all are welcome to your mint."

Smirking softly, Elizabeth Bell turned to her daughter. "Hurry up and finish eating. Veras and the others will be taking us to the station in an hour, so I hope you're packed."

Katie nodded. "I've got both my trunk and Esdras' trunk ready to go. I just want to make sure his trunk has everything before I shrink it to fit into mine. Then I'll be all set to go."

Lieutenant Kyle Mercius floated up and stretched in midair. "I'm done here. I'll come help you."

The mortal smiled. "The sooner, the better."

* * *

The sight that met the new first years on Platform 9 ¾ was incredible and terrifying all at once. Beside the bright red engine of the Hogwarts Express all seventy Dementors of the 8th Infantry Apparated with wands drawn, all surrounding the three Bells. Katie, cloaked in an Azkaban standard cloak and clutching her plush Dementor, pushed through the cloaked guards to come to the front of the crowd and looked around. "Where's Esdras?" 

Veras arched his hood in confusion. "Not just Esdras, where's the 13th Infantry? They are supposed to be the escort for the train." He turned to the nearest Dementor. "_Ensign, see if you can raise them on the communications link._"

The ensign nodded sharply and began to quietly call for the missing infantry through the charm embedded in his Assault cloak. Katie looked up to the captain and spoke quietly. "_Veras, how late are they running?_"

The Dementor sighed. "_Very late. They should have been here hours ago to sweep the train and check for sabotage._"

By this time, Katie's parents had worked their way through the infantry to stand beside their daughter. Mrs. Bell looked around. "Where's Esdras?"

Katie sighed. "No one seems to know." She looked to Veras. "_What do we do now?_"

The captain looked around. "_We wait. I'll prepare my men to escort the train to Hogsmeade if necessary. I'll leave a four man detail with your parents to escort them back to Order Headquarters and stay with them there. I should get on that right away._"

The mortal nodded and the Dementor began issuing orders to his men. Katie pulled her parents away from the cloaked creatures. Her face fell. "I'm worried about Esdras."

Mr. Bell nodded and drew his daughter into a tight hug. "You've said it yourself, he's a powerful Dementor. With everything that's been going on, I'm sure he's just running late. Maybe there was one last meeting or one last person to talk to before he left."

Katie leaned into the hug and shook her head. "I just have this…this feeling, deep in my heart. I just feel that something very bad is about to happen."

The elder Bells looked nervously to each other, but when Mrs. Bell broke the hug and looked to her daughter, she spoke calmly. "Well, it's just a feeling. And besides, even if it is the case, Esdras is strong." She turned her daughter to face her and smiled brightly. "And don't forget, you hold part of his soul. That means that he'll always come back to you."

The young girl wiped her eyes and smiled weakly. "That's true."

Her father smiled softly. "This is your last year at Hogwarts, so enjoy yourself. We're proud of you, darling."

Her mother nodded. "It seems like only yesterday we were waving to you as you were leaving for the first time. And now look at how much you've grown."

Katie blushed. "Thank you."

The whistle blew to indicate the train was getting ready to depart. Katie turned and observed the train, each car carrying no less than five Dementor guards atop. When she returned her attention to her parents, they had been joined by five Dementors. Veras Maul saluted sharply. "_Still no sign of the 13__th__ Infantry, Captain Bell. The 8__th__ is in place and ready for transit to Hogsmeade._"

The mortal sighed and saluted. "_Very good, captain. But please, Esdras rescinded my provisional rank after the Battle of the Department of Mysteries._" She looked to the other four Dementors. "_I assume this is the guard detail for my parents?_"

The captain nodded sharply. "_Yes, ma'am._"

Katie nodded and took one end of her trunk. "_Take command of your men, captain._" She gave both her parents a hug with her free arm and a quick kiss. "Mom, dad, I love you."

She hopped up onto the train and turned to look at the platform one last time. Her parents waved and she waved back. With a hiss, the train started moving. They were on their way.

* * *

Katie's nervous tapping of her fingers against the window was beginning to irritate everyone within the cabin she occupied, so it was with some mild relief that the cabin door opened to reveal Dennis Creevy. He held an envelope in his hands. "There you are, Katie. This is for you." 

The young mortal ceased tapping against the window and took the envelope offered by her young housemate. She replied absently as she opened it. "Thank you, Dennis."

He smiled brightly. "There's one here for Esdras, as well. I haven't seen him yet; do you know where he is?"

The girl shot the young boy a withering glance that, combined with the cloak around her shoulders, would rival a Dementor's. "Leave it with me."

Dennis nodded quickly and handed off the second letter before excusing himself. Leanne, one of Katie's non-Quidditch friends, looked over her friend's cloaked shoulder with interest. "Well, what is it?"

Katie opened the envelope and scanned the document inside. She huffed slightly. "Apparently, it is an invitation to join Professor Horace Slughorn for tea up in the professor's car." She drew her cloak tighter about her body and hunched back in her seat. "I have no desire for this."

The girl to her right nudged her and winked. "You should go. It'll help pass the time until Esdras shows up. Besides, it sounds like it could be fun."

Sighing softly, Katie rose and straightened her cloak. "Perhaps." She looked out the window. "Should any of the Dementors come looking for me, alert them to where I am."

Passing into the hallway and proceeding up the train, Katie was surprised when a familiar voice called out. "Katie, wait up!"

Turning to face Ginny, Katie grinned happily. "Ginny, did you get an invitation, too?"

The girl nodded and smirked. "Probably not in the traditional sense. Professor Slughorn happened to see me casting a few hexes, nothing too spectacular for the DA, but apparently enough to impress him." She reached out and tugged on the black cloak about her friend's shoulders. "Channeling Esdras, are we?"

Katie blushed. "It's comfortable, and it makes me feel good when I wear it. He gave me this cloak."

Ginny nodded sagely. "Still no word from him?" Katie shook her head and the redhead sighed, and then smiled playfully. "Well, he'll be around. He can't stay away from you for too long. And the cloak does look good on you."

Halfway down one of the middle train cars, they were stopped by a voice coming from behind them. "Excuse me!"

Turning quickly, Katie was faced with the black haired Hufflepuff. She smiled softly. "I remember you from last year. Ensign Tabris took a liking to you, gave you his address to write to him. Ellen Riley, was it?"

The Hufflepuff nodded and smiled before extending her hand. "That's right. Ian and I have been trading letters all summer. He said he would meet me at the station, but he wasn't there. I was hoping you would know if anything had happened."

Katie shook the offered hand then shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, I don't. None of the Thirteenth Infantry were there, not even Esdras. I'm guessing that something really important happened on Azkaban and they've been delayed. But don't worry; if they do show up, I'll have Esdras send Ian to find you."

Ellen nodded and blushed happily. "Thank you."

Continuing down the aisle of the train car, Ginny looked back and smirked. "Suddenly, I think the fact that you're dating a Dementor won't be such an unusual thing anymore."

The pair continued on until they reached the professor's car and came to the proper cabin. Katie opened the door and stepped inside. Among her fellow Gryffindors were Harry Potter and Cormac McLaggen. Others of different houses were there, and the person sitting at the head of the table was a rather corpulent man. He smiled kindly, though. "Ahh, Miss Weasley, and you must be Miss Bell. I am Professor Slughorn. Welcome, both of you. Please, come in and join us."

Nodding serenely within her cloak, Katie moved to take the seat next to Harry. "Thank you, professor."

As Ginny sat down beside her, the professor quickly turned to Katie. "I'm sure you already know everyone around the table already. But where is Mister Demnin? I was under the impression that the pair of you are virtually inseparable."

Katie tensed and Ginny put a hand on her arm below the table. However, she replied with a calm, but cool, comportment. "Lord Admiral Demnin is currently on assignment for the good of the Azkaban nation. I can only assume that he will join us by the time we have reached Hogwarts, if not before. Otherwise, we are inseparable; there is nothing virtual about it."

The professor immediately noticed that he had struck a nerve and went into damage control. "Well, then, I hope his duties do not keep him from you for much longer. I, also, would like the opportunity to meet him."

Gazing silently at the professor, Katie merely shifted in her seat, draping the cloak around her and settling in. "Of course."

* * *

Katie sat fuming next to Ginny. "And I tell you, I have a feeling that if I weren't dating Esdras, he wouldn't have even thought to include me in that little group of his." She huffed indignantly. "Slug Club. Honestly, couldn't he have come up with a more interesting name? It sounds like a gardening club for the mentally handicapped." 

The redhead nearly aspirated pumpkin juice from her nose as she laughed. "I think that's being a little harsh." She recovered and wiped her nose. "But I believe you're right. If I hadn't been in the right place and the right time, I doubt I would be there either."

The elder girl sighed and cast nervous brown eyes across the room to the Ravenclaw table. She was relieved to see that everyone there seemed to be as nervous as she. In fact, during the unloading from the train, no less than fifty Ravenclaws had inquired as to Esdras' location. Katie sighed again. "Where is he?"

Ginny shook her head. "I wish I knew. Did Veras have any idea?"

Katie sighed. "No. He sent a few men to the bunker and New Demnin to see if they could locate him or any sign of the 13th Infantry, but here's the thing. The normal compliment of civilians is there, families and whatnot, but hardly any military Dementors. The few troops that Esdras left know as little as we do."

The redhead whistled softly. "Have they tried to contact the island by Floo Network?"

The blond nodded. "That's what they were trying to do as we were getting in the carriages, but I don't know if they got through or not. The carriages pulled away before I could find out."

Ginny sighed. "This is certainly unusual. People just seem to be coming and going as they please. First Esdras, then Harry." She gestured down the table to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat. The scarred wizard's white shirt was stained with dried blood as his face had been before Hermione had cleaned him up. "My question is how Harry managed to get bloodied up between the train and here."

Katie shook her head. "I'm not sure I want to know, really."

She was interrupted as Dumbledore tapped his knife against his goblet, drawing the attention of the entire school. "Good evening, I'd like to welcome you all here to another year at Hogwarts. There are announcements, as always. The Forbidden Forest is forbidden for a reason, and none should enter that wish to live. Also, our caretaker, Mr. Filch has placed a ban on all products from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Finally, please be advised that there are, as always, Dementors protecting…"

The headmaster gasped and fell silent, his eyes locked on the far end of the hall. Katie quickly turned her head and gasped. Her voice was a mere whisper. Standing in the doorway of the Great Hall, clad in a battered armor cloak, the base of which clearly revealed a severed leg, with his gauntleted hands clutching the ancient platinum Glaive of Silence, was he. "Esdras…"


	3. The Fall of Azkaban

It's Friday again, and that means that it's time for a new chapter. A word of note: the last chapter and this chapter both occur on the same day. This time, we see Esdras' day.

I have a few special comments for everyone. First, has everyone seen the new OotP movie trailers? If not, go to and see them. They are awesome and have Dementors. Secondly, this is one of those special chapters that I am incredibly proud of. For those of you who don't review, if ever there were a time to start, I'd appreciate it if this were the time.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. It couldn't be avoided. I couldn't figure any other way to document both Katie and Esdras' experiences without writing two chapters. And just so you know, I'm the same way when reading books, too, so I understand exactly what you're talking about.

To the lovely Estel A Duath– ((Esdras waves and feasts on Patronus)) _I'm okay. Thank you for the meal._

To the ever faithful KRP – Yes, he's wearing the same armor cloak as he did in the first book (third year). I believe this chapter and the next will answer all of your confusion. And Esdras' Fourth Fleet now contains over 600 troops. An Ordnance Division is in charge of heavy weapons and explosives. And yes, Katie is still well respected among Esdras' fleet, and she is well known in Azkaban society as well. Anyway, just trust me, all your questions will be answered.

To our newcomer, NorseWitch – Welcome to the GoA family! I'm glad to have you here and so happy that you have enjoyed all my other stories as well. I update regularly on Monday and Friday, so you can always find a new chapter on those days. You'll find out the answers to your questions in this chapter. Especially why I named this story the way I did…

All the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed really should. It's always good to hear what other people think and your reviews help to make me a better writer. So please, press the little blue button at the bottom and tell me what you think.

And as always, my usual notes apply. _Text in italics is in Azkabaaner, and almost the entire chapter is in Azkabaaner._ And I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 3 – The Fall of Azkaban 

Esdras sighed and looked to his watch. He had been waiting at Guard Command Headquarters for almost two hours now and was starting to get irritated. "_Well, that does it; the Hogwarts Express has left the station. Veras is probably wondering where the hell we are right about now._"

Aaron laughed softly. "_I wouldn't be worried about Veras, if I were you. Katie's the one you need to worry about._"

The admiral huffed. "_Not so much, she'll be happy just to see me, I think._" He looked around the well appointed office of their superior officer and sighed. "_Where is Admiral Grim, anyway?_"

The captain shrugged. "_I don't know. I just want to know what is so important that we had to delay our departure and keep us waiting for so long. This isn't like him at all._"

The two Dementors conjured themselves a pot of tea and continued to talk about nothing in particular until the door opened. Both placed their teacups down, rose, and saluted Admiral Grim, who was accompanied by Vice Admiral Lara Sidara. The Dementor returned their salute and bowed kindly. "_Thank you both for waiting._"

Esdras nodded. "_Of course, sir. But if I may, what is so important that our deployment to King's Cross was delayed? I trust Veras to protect the Hogwarts Express, but I still have to get my fleet to New Demnin and settle in the new troops._"

Admiral Grim nodded quickly and moved to his desk. "_I understand, Lord Admiral, but I knew you would find this important. Vice Admiral Sidara has managed to identify the traitor responsible for the prison break that happened earlier this year._"

Both Esdras' and Aaron's hoods shot up in shock as they turned to face the commandant of the prison. The admiral spoke up. "_Very impressive, ma'am. Who was it?_"

The Dementress drew her wand and pointed it the admiral behind the desk. "_It was Admiral Grim. You are under arrest, sir._"

The commander of the Azkaban Guard looked over in shock. "_This is preposterous. I was on a month long vacation during that time, I only returned after I received word of the escape. What evidence do you have?_"

The vice admiral's voice grew cold. "_No evidence at all._ Reducto." She used an old Azkaban assassin's trick. Her proximity to the admiral meant that the spell hit its mark powerfully, blasting a jagged hole through his abdomen. The Dementor crumpled as the spell destroyed most of his supersolenoid, the ichor within spilling out at an incredible rate. Within seconds, he had imploded, leaving only a cloak behind. Lara pushed the cloak aside and stepped behind the desk, leveling her wand at the pair. "_You were not wise to refuse the Dark Lord's request for alliance, Esdras. And what's worse, you did it all for that little mortal whore._"

The two Dementors were still in shock. Aaron couldn't tear his hood off the cloak on the floor. "_She just…no warning…_"

Esdras, however, kept his hood to the wand pointed at him. He slowly backed away, drawing Aaron with him. "_So, you were the one, Lara. You betrayed your people to Voldemort. And for what?_"

The Dementress shrugged. "_Command of all his Dementor forces, and believe me, there are a lot of Dementor forces under his command. We move to secure the island immediately, and I will tell the Ministry what a shame it was that you were all in collusion with the Dark Lord. And, when Voldemort has taken over, I will be declared Queen of Azkaban and allowed to rule the island as I see fit._"

The true king narrowed his hood furiously as he backed up against the table which held his teacup. "_You really think I'll let that happen?_"

Lara shook her hood slowly. "_Oh no, Esdras, I expect you to fight._" She pressed a button on the desk. "_Marines, I need you to subdue the Lord Admiral._"

Esdras reached back and threw the teacup at Lara, striking her on the face. The hot beverage scalded her, causing her to draw her hands to her face in pain. Aaron floated forward and quickly kicked the door closed before the marines behind it could open it all the way. He cast a Colloportus Charm to hold it closed. Esdras, meanwhile, had floated over the desk and disarmed the vice admiral. He grabbed her by the head and squeezed. "_You betrayed our people. I will enjoy making your death as slow and painful as possible._"

A slow, steady thumping indicated that the marines behind the door were not giving up easily. Finally, the wood began to splinter. Aaron turned to face his friend. "_Esdras, we have to get out of here. The spell will hold up, but I don't know how long the door will._"

The rightful king of Azkaban looked to the Dementress struggling in his iron grip. "_This isn't over, Lara. I will make you pay for your treachery._" His voice lowered to a deadly hiss. "_And this is for calling my girlfriend a whore._"

With all his strength he slammed the Dementress into the stone wall behind her, crushing her skull and letting her unconscious body fall limply to the ground. Esdras floated over the desk again and glided quickly to the fireplace, where Aaron had already cast Floo Powder into the grate. They crowded into the fireplace together and the captain spoke clearly as the door finally broke open, sending marines into the room. "_North Mountain Transport Platform._"

* * *

Immediately after stepping out of the fireplace at North Mountain, Esdras was issuing orders. "_Aaron, round up the fleet and prepare for battle. Sidara isn't going to let us go that easily._" He drew his wand and spoke clearly. "_Azkaban Security Protocol Demnin One._" 

The very rocks of the mountain town began to resonate with a loud klaxon and a deep, automated Azkabaaner voice. "_This is a Level One Security Alert. This is not a drill. All active duty infantry divisions are to scramble immediately and report to your fleet admirals. All inactive infantry divisions are to mobilize and prepare for deployment. All civilian Dementors are to proceed calmly below ground level to the emergency shelters._"

Aaron sighed and looked at the great hollow cavern within the mountain. All around, Dementors were rushing to report to their required destinations. He turned to face his friend. "_This is going to get heavy, fast, and if we're not ready, this will turn into a rout. Do you have a plan?_"

Esdras nodded slowly. "_With Admiral Grim dead and Vice Admiral Sidara in revolt, the chain of command is shot to hell. I'm taking command of the Azkaban Guard until a more senior admiral can be found. But for now, we're going to activate all the fleets and see who and what units are missing, then we'll run reconnaissance on the insurrection force, then either deploy and fight them or I will declare civil war._"

The captain's hood flew wide in shock. "_Esdras, if you declare civil war…_"

The rightful king cut him off. "_I know. I want you to take command of the Fourth Fleet and give command of the 13__th__ Infantry to Malachi. Try to figure out who is here and who has revolted. Get in contact with the other townships and warn them of the coming assault. I'm going to try to find the Oracle. Perhaps she can save us some time. Keep your assault cloak on, I'll contact you when I have news._"

Aaron saluted sharply. "_Yes, my Lord._"

The captain and the admiral floated off in different directions. Esdras moved at top speed down into the vast cavern. The air was filled with Dementors, so he was slowed down as he proceeded to the Temple of the Oracle. Once he had finally reached it, he was greeted by the captain of the First Infantry. "_Lord Admiral, the Oracle wishes to see you immediately._"

Despite the situation, Esdras let out a soft laugh. "_Of course, she would know I'm coming, after all._"

The captain led the admiral deep into the temple. They proceeded quickly, not bothering to pay heed to the various formalities and ceremonies one would normally perform to visit the ancient Dementress. Finally, the admiral was shown into a small chamber, where the Oracle herself rested in a small wicker basket. Sensing his arrival, the blind cloakling floated up and into the admiral's arms. "_The mighty Demnin seeks knowledge of the future which may come to pass._"

Esdras nodded. "_Yes, great Oracle. The forces of darkness move upon the island. Our people stand divided and the specter of war looms on the horizon. I must know, are we strong enough to face them?_"

The Oracle nestled into Esdras' cloak and sighed. Her voice filled his head as she looked into the future. "_The king has taken steps to secure the Azkaban Commonwealth. Know first that your mission has not failed. But while the king has taken these steps to secure the greater good, the traitor has undermined the homeland. Her armies are strong, of measure equal with the loyal of the king. Azkaban will fall this day and it is the king's choice how she shall fall. But know this, if you fight this day, few will live to tell the tale. This is the prophecy of the Oracle of Azkaban._"

The admiral remained silent for a long while. He was finally interrupted by Aaron coming through the communication charm of his Assault cloak. _"Esdras, the fleets are assembled and I've been in contact with the other three towns. You're not going to like this. We're missing close to a million troops, mostly marines. West Mountain reports that they have virtually no defenses._"

Esdras looked silently down to the Oracle. The ancient cloakling regarded him with blind, white eye sockets before burrowing tightly into his cloak. The king of Azkaban sighed and spoke the words he had never wanted to say. "_We are at war, Aaron. Prepare to evacuate the island._"

* * *

Throughout the North Mountain cavern, a cool, automated voice was calling out over the resonating klaxons. "_This is a Level One Evacuation Alert. This is not a drill. By order of Lord Rear Admiral Esdras Demnin, civil war has been declared. All Dementors loyal to the royal house are to evacuate Azkaban Island in a calm and orderly fashion. Fleet admirals have updated evacuation schedules. All civilian Dementors without familial military connection are to immediately ally themselves with the nearest military division. All evacuated Dementors are to proceed to Inverness and await further orders._" 

Esdras was standing in courtyard of the royal palace, which had been transformed into a war room for the defensive forces protecting the evacuees. He screamed into the communication charm of his Assault cloak. "_Captain Garin, please respond. 115__th__ Ordnance Division, anyone, please reply!_"

Beside him, Aaron Reaping shook his head. "_It's no use, Esdras. They were located right in the middle of the spell cluster. It's doubtful any of them survived._"

The rear admiral kicked the rock face behind him. "_Damned it. Redeploy the 199__th__ to cover for them._"

The captain shook his head. "_No good, they defected with Vice Admiral Sidara and the marines._"

Esdras narrowed his hood in anger. He growled and turned to face the captain. "_Where does that leave us?_"

The captain looked out over the map that outlined the battlefield that was Azkaban. "_We've lost over two hundred fifty divisions since the start of this engagement, and twice as many have been decimated or otherwise incapacitated. The renegade marines have begun an offensive against our positions on South Mountain._"

Esdras nodded sharply. "_Give evacuation priority to the remaining residents of South Mountain. I also want three Hospital Divisions from Cerah Hospital to go with them and have them prepare for heavy casualties. The rest will remain here and triage the wounded and transport them out as necessary._"

Aaron nodded grimly to his friend. "_It will be done, my Lord. Current estimates are that we can have South Mountain evacuated within the hour._"

The admiral checked his watch. "_We're running out of time, Aaron. I want to get us off this island before we're slaughtered._"

The captain nodded gravely. "_How long until you have to cast the spells?_"

Esdras shook his head. "_I can cast them at any time. But we have one hour until the resonance becomes too much to withstand._"

Aaron shook his head again. "_I still don't understand how it works. How can you force the evacuation of the island?_"

The Azkaban king sighed. "_You're familiar with the immortality provision left to us by the god of war, that we must not walk the path divided or we will face the island rising up against us?_" Aaron nodded and Esdras continued. "_There is a spell that can only be cast by the reigning king. It makes the fire emeralds of Azkaban vibrate, and those vibrations are destructive to the supersolenoid. The island rises up against us, and only when peace has been restored will the king be able to neutralize the spell._"

The captain nodded somberly. "_I understand, my Lord._" He quickly cast his eyes to the map of the battlefield again. "_Someone has to reinforce the positions on South Mountain._"

Esdras nodded quickly, deep in thought. "_There are extra wand cannons in the armory, correct?_" At Aaron's nod, Esdras looked to the map again. "_How's your aim?_"

* * *

At the crest of the South Mountain, the king of Azkaban stood, clad in his armor cloak, with the Thirteenth Infantry. They were armed to the teeth with wand cannons taken from the armory. The cannons were essentially huge wands, over forty feet long and five feet across. They took six Dementors to hold and one to fire. Their extended length meant extended range and greater power. Esdras was currently leading the team that was laying down cover fire over the vast plain leading towards the prison while Aaron was doing the same with the aerial fire support team. At the front of Esdras' cannon, Ensign Ian Tabris called out. "_Weapons lock!_" 

Esdras placed his hand on the cannon and called forth the spell. "Avada Kedavra!"

The terrible green spell flew forward with the sound of rushing wind. On the great plain below, seventy marines bore the brunt of it and paused as they began vomiting bright green toxic ichor. On the other side of the cannon, Ensign Aurora Corinth called out. "_They've got a lock on us, my Lord!_"

The admiral called out quickly. "_Abandon the position! Get out of here now!_"

He was too late, the Reductor curse from the renegade ordnance division struck the Thirteenth Infantry, striking the center of their position, blasting part of the mountain away, and scattering the Dementors. Esdras pulled himself up and groaned; he was missing a leg. A quick check revealed precious few empty cloaks. Most of his troops had survived with only minor injuries, but Ian Tabris was still on the ground, clutching his abdomen. He moved to the young Dementor, who quickly grabbed the front of the admiral's cloak. "_Ellen…at Hogwarts…tell her I'm sorry._"

Esdras peeled off the ensign's cloak and pulled away the torn skin on his abdomen to look at the wound. Despite the grave situation, the admiral let out a laugh. "_It's just a simple fracture of the supersolenoid. You're not going to die yet. We'll have to put you in stasis until we get to New Demnin, though._"

Ian nodded quickly and relaxed. The admiral grabbed a stasis cloak from a nearby medic and placed it around the wounded ensign and sealed it, placing him into suspended animation. He handed the cloaked form off to the medic and turned to Aaron. The captain looked down the side of the mountain where the renegades were beginning to marshal their troops for a vertical attack. "_We must retreat, my Lord._"

The admiral nodded and looked to the darkening sky. The unmistakable form of the First Infantry, surrounding and protecting the armor clad Oracle, was taking off from North Mountain. The screeching wail of their afterburners filled the air as they disappeared into the low clouds. "_How much time did we buy the evacuation?_"

Aaron quickly conferred with the Evacuation Command over the communication charm and nodded. "_Mortal Aurors have taken up positions in the fortress, our divisions there are evacuating to the Ministry by way of the Floo Network Transport Platforms. They'll rendezvous with us at Inverness. We can have everyone off the island in forty five minutes. Evacuation Command suggests that you cast the spell now._"

Esdras nodded and slowly withdrew the Glaive of Silence from the sleeve of his cloak. The royal weapon glowed with platinum brilliance against the dark grey of the Azkaban sky. "_Retreat, and prepare to evacuate. Once the renegade forces know what I have done, they will have to break off their attack or face their death as well._"

Aaron saluted. "_Yes, my Lord._"

The rightful king of Azkaban floated upon the summit of South Mountain. He raised the Glaive over his head and the renegade troops seemed to still before it. He called out, his voice carried in the stiff wind. "_Gods of Azkaban, we have failed you! We float in battle with ourselves against thy divine commands. We float the path divided, and risk the mountains of our birth rising up against us. Let them do so now, ancient gods. Let them rise up. Teach us that we cannot float apart._" He struck the blade of the weapon against the rock face and was rewarded with a low, resonant hum that seemed to spread throughout the mountain and across the island, growing in intensity with every second. His voice dropped to a mere whisper. "_And when we float together again, let my blade still the anger of our homeland._"

* * *

As expected, the moment the spell was cast, the renegade forces retreated, eager to leave the island before the land rose up to destroy them. So into the night flew the two factions, leaving the ancient island barren of native life for the first time since the last civil war over three thousand years ago. Esdras floated at the front of the twenty mile long trail of exiles, the Glaive of Silence glowing softly and providing hope to a desperate people. To his right floated Aaron. "_There was no other way, my Lord._" 

Esdras nodded slowly, but his mind was on other matters. "_You realize what this means, don't you? You know what I have brought upon myself?_"

Aaron nodded slowly. "_A Dementor civil war means that the Treaty of Edinburgh is no longer enforceable. You will be crowned as King of Azkaban with the first new moon._"

The admiral sighed and tightened his grip on the ancient platinum weapon in his hands. "_Aaron, I'm not ready for this._"

The captain clasped his friend's shoulder as they floated over Scotland. "_You are ready, my Lord. You have always been ready for this. And what's more, you must do this. There is no one else who can take your place in the coming months. The people need you and your leadership. To them, you are Azkaban._"

Esdras turned to regard the long mass of Dementors behind them, all neatly divided into fleets. He sighed sadly. "_How large is my kingdom, my friend?_"

Aaron was quiet for a while, calculating the numbers. Finally, he spoke up, his voice soft. "_We have over two million Dementors total. Active duty troops are just over three quarters of a million, the rest are civilians. We believe that the renegade forces have almost equal numbers._"

The admiral nodded. Far ahead on the horizon was Hogwarts Castle. Esdras steeled himself for what he would have to report to Dumbledore. "_Aaron, I want you to begin the process of quartering our refugees in New Demnin. Make sure everyone has a bed tonight. Tomorrow, we'll marshal our engineer divisions and begin to expand the town. I'll talk to Dumbledore and advise him of our situation, then bring Katie and the rest over to cast Patroni. Everyone will have a nice meal tonight. We deserve at least that much._"

The captain saluted sharply, but his voice was soft. "_Yes, my Lord._"

As Esdras broke away from his people, he ignited his afterburners. The extra speed rocketed him across the countryside and soon he was over Hogsmeade. He disengaged the plasma jets and floated over the lake before coming to rest at the front door and gliding into the Entrance Hall. The Lord Admiral sighed as he regarded himself in the reflection of a brightly polished suit of armor in the hallway. His armor cloak was battered and dusty, and no matter how he tried, his missing leg could not be hidden. He entered the Great Hall and paused.

Standing at the High Table, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore gasped and fell silent. In the silence, he heard the clinking of the metal plates of his armor cloak, he heard Katie whisper his name, but Esdras never broke eye contact with the wizened wizard before him. The Dementor's voice cracked as he spoke. "Azkaban has fallen. The Dementors are in civil war. I request asylum for my people."


	4. Rise of the King

Well, it's Monday and that means it's time for another chapter! This time, building a kingdom on the fly.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – There are two reasons why Esdras didn't kill Lara. First, is the Wormtail reason: she owes him now. Second is more practical: with angry marines breaking down the door, he just didn't have time. Also, remember that Lara is the leader of the rebels. If she dies, that means that someone else will rise to power. So one way or another, war is coming. And besides, maybe that someone who would take Lara's place is someone that Esdras can't predict as well. Remember, he was engaged to her so he knows her very well.

Buffalo1fromSalem – Here's hoping for a grand slam by the end. Glad you're enjoying it so far!

To the ever faithful KRP – Esdras may be in for one hell of a year, but he is not alone. You forget that he has good, faithful friends that he has served with for decades. He will be calling upon them, as you will soon see. In regards to the engineering divisions, there are quite a number of them, yes, but remember that there are also all those infantry divisions with nothing to do except help out. Expansions to the city will proceed quickly. And, as I told Snood, Esdras didn't kill Lara for two reasons: she owes him now, and he didn't have the time. Besides, Sidara still has a role to play in the story. You'll see…

To the always charming Estel A Duath – All those Patroni will come in handy, as you will see in this chapter. Thank you for doing your part to feed the Azkaban nation!

All the rest of y'all that haven't reviewed really should consider it. I like hearing your opinions on my work, and your reviews help make me a better writer. And if you have any major questions, I'll do my best to answer them so long as it doesn't give away the story. So go ahead, press the blue button.

And as always, _text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 4 – Rise of the King 

Things in the Great Hall had started to move very quickly, but not under the control of the Lord Admiral of Azkaban or even the Headmaster of Hogwarts. Instead, Katie Bell, with cloak rippling as she moved, began shouting out orders. "Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna…hell, all DA members and all professors capable of generating a corporeal Patronus of any soul equivalent value, report to the Entrance Hall. Madame Pomfrey, I want a triage spell on Esdras, determine his injuries and bind them as necessary. I want to be ready to proceed to New Demnin in five minutes." The entire school looked at her with wide eyes and Katie screamed. "Are you all deaf?! Move it, people!"

As she walked quickly up the aisle, Esdras was struck by the fact that he had chosen a girlfriend quite well, and as she hugged him tightly and kissed the breath out of him, his thoughts were confirmed. She broke away and the Dementor sighed. "Someone missed me."

Katie laughed, and unclasped the cold metal plates of his armor cloak so she could snuggle up next to him. "You have no idea."

Esdras nodded and hugged her tightly. "And just who are you to be giving orders, Captain Bell?"

The mortal smirked. "I am an officer of the Azkaban Guard, apparently, since people insist on calling me captain."

The Dementor nodded and tapped the shoulders of her cloak with his wand. The insignia of the rank of captain appeared, the silver vultures shining brightly in the candlelight. "Given the circumstances, I reinstate you to the rank of captain. There are going to be a lot of promotions in the future…"

They were interrupted by a frantic voice. Beside them, Ellen Riley had appeared. She spoke quickly. "Esdras, where is Ian? Please, tell me he's okay."

Esdras nodded quickly. "He's injured, but alive. I put him into a stasis cloak myself and he was transported off the island. He'll be in the hospital for a while, but he will recover. Don't worry; I'll make sure you see him as soon as he's out of stasis."

The young mortal sighed in relief and walked away. Behind her, most of the professors of the school had gathered, leaving only a skeleton crew behind to look after the students. Madame Pomfrey quickly approached the pair and cast a medical triage spell on the Dementor while Dumbledore calmly regarded him. "_I take it then that your mission abroad was unsuccessful?_"

Esdras shook his hood. "_No, sir. According to the Oracle, the Azkaban Commonwealth is secure, but the traitor was able to destabilize Azkaban herself. I have evacuated the island in accordance with our law._"

Dumbledore nodded slowly. "_The traitor, who was it?_"

Katie felt Esdras tense before he replied. "_It was Vice Admiral Sidara. She sold her people out to Voldemort in hopes of becoming queen._"

The headmaster nodded sadly and turned to face the school nurse. "Well, I'm certain Miss Bell would like to know how Esdras is doing."

The nurse smiled brightly. "No major internal injuries, just a lot of bruising. And the missing leg, but that's hardly severe. I can have it cleaned and bound in minutes."

Katie nodded quickly and turned to face Dumbledore. "I apologize, sir. I didn't mean to go running off screaming orders."

The wizened wizard smiled calmly and put his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Miss Bell, you did nothing that I would not have done. Besides, you are an officer of the Azkaban Guard. Now, with your permission, I will see to the transportation of the Patronus capable students and professors across the lake to New Demnin."

The student smiled and nodded to her headmaster and he went on his way. When they were left alone, Katie turned to face Esdras. "How did you manage to evacuate the island?"

Esdras sighed and leaned against the wall, pausing to lower his armored hood and regard her with empty eye sockets. He still had yet to take mortal form, and with the damage to his body, it would only be a drain on his energy reserves. He switched to Azkabaaner. "_The provisions of our immortality state that Dementors cannot walk a divided path, meaning that we must remain idealistically similar. This is why there have been so few Dementor wars, there's nothing that we want to fight over. But when things like this happen, when war is inevitable, it is said that the island will rise up against us. The king causes the island to rise up, to resonate in such a way as to be deadly to Dementors. We can't go back until we are again at peace._"

Katie gasped softly. "_And you had to make that choice, didn't you?_"

The Dementor nodded. "_And there's something else, Katie. With Azkaban in civil war, the Treaty of Edinburgh is nullified. I will be crowned as king. I cannot avoid this. I must take my place as king of Azkaban. My people need me._"

What the mortal did next both surprised and embarrassed the Dementor. She looked deep into his eye sockets and slowly, gracefully curtsied. Her voice was soft and demure as she lowered her eyes to the floor. "_You forget that I am a citizen of Azkaban, too, my Lord and my love. I need you, too. Behold your humble servant._"

* * *

Esdras had never been happier for his trusted colleagues than he was as he led the boats containing the Patronus capable mortals across the lake towards New Demnin. Entering the harbor, Esdras could already see that canvas emergency tents had been set up outside the entrance to the underground town. Slowly, fleet after fleet of Dementors, military and civilian, were being brought down from the sky and taken care of. As they approached, they were met by Captain Reaping, who saluted sharply. "I'm glad you're back, Esdras. We've got major issues. And the Oracle wishes to speak to you immediately." 

The admiral returned the salute and sighed. "We're refugees in a civil war among a race of immortals. Of course we've got issues. Now out with it before I find the Oracle."

Aaron sighed. "As you know, New Demnin was originally designed to hold about five hundred Dementors. Last year's expansions brought the total capacity up to three thousand, but we're still trying to fit over two million more Dementors than this place was designed for. I've got every engineering division we have blueprinting expansions to the town, but it'll take weeks to complete."

Esdras scratched his hood and looked around. "Okay, just magically expand everything you can, tents, caverns, whatever. Try to get as many people housed as you can. Use the command bunker for the military. But for right now, let's just get everyone out of the air and fed." He turned to face the mortals. "Just cast your Patroni, everyone is hungry. Katie, Harry, and Dumbledore, I want you to work on the large groups since yours are so powerful."

All nodded and immediately dispersed, casting forth the power created by their silver spells. Aaron and Esdras watched on as Katie's Dementor Patronus gathered a large crowd who marveled at it before turning and entering one of the emergency tents. It had been magically expanded to the size of a large stadium. Aaron looked about and shook his head. "_This is terrible._"

The admiral shook his head. "_It could be much worse. At least we have a place to go. It'll be uncomfortable for a while until we can enlarge the town, but that's a minor setback._"

The captain nodded. "_I have to see to the air traffic control for the remaining airborne fleets. The Oracle is in here somewhere. You can't miss her; the First Infantry is guarding her like a hawk._"

Esdras nodded and floated deeper into the emergency shelter, leaving the captain to his work. His entrance did not go unnoticed, and the presence of the royal Dementor seemed to cause the Dementors that he passed to float a little taller. He gave words of encouragement as he floated along before he came to the First Infantry, which had formed a perimeter around the Oracle. They parted for Esdras, and he was granted access to the inner sanctum, where the tiny cloakling rested in her wicker basket. Esdras knelt slowly beside the child. "_The Oracle wished my presence?_"

The Oracle's voice was too soft to be heard over the ambient noise of the shelter, so the cloakling floated out of her basket and came to rest in Esdras' arms. Therein, she spoke to him with her powers, her tiny voice filling his head. "_Recite my famous prophecy._"

The admiral nodded and spoke. "_In the time to pass, when the children of Azkaban have lost their hope, a savior will emerge, born from the house of the fallen king. And beside the mortals, this god of death will lead us to stand, an army and a town to his name. This shall be a sign unto you, heed it well. For at the bounds of life and death, the god of death gains power, a boundary he shall only find in mortals darkest hour._"

The cloakling nodded, causing her hood to fall back from her head. Her sightless white eye sockets stared deep into Esdras' soul. "_The time is at hand for the fulfillment of the prophecy. The boundary shall be found, my Lord. The god of death shall rise and, in the fullness of time, restore our people. But the road is a long and painful one. Only you among the exiled Dementors shall walk it. This is the prophecy of the Oracle, heed it well._"

Esdras floated in shock for a moment with the cloakling in his hands before his hood narrowed. With a low growl, he violently pushed the small Dementress away, causing her to fly across the small clearing and impact against her guardsmen with a startled squeak. He lowered the Glaive of Silence at her and shouted angrily. "_I pray for the gods to condemn you! First you tell me to evacuate the island, and now this?_"

The Oracle floated up and held onto the closest guard. The lieutenant spoke calmly, under the influence of the powerful telepath. "_Please, my Lord. Now is not the time for anger…_"

The admiral floated forward and grabbed the Oracle by the cloak. He pulled her away and held her up by the front of her cloak, staring her straight in the hood. He roared with anger. "_No! No handlers! No voices but your own! If you want to talk to me, you talk to me hood to hood. You already knew what my reaction to this news would be, so tell me exactly why I shouldn't be angry. My home is abandoned, my people scattered to the winds and fighting against themselves, I'm to be crowned king, and your visions of the future deal with the second coming of the god of death. Tell me why the hell I shouldn't be angry!_" The small cloakling whimpered and Esdras growled as he shook her violently. "_Well?!_"

The tiny cloaked figure spoke softly, fear lacing her voice. "_The king of Dementors is a merciful king. Though he may speak in anger, his actions are kind and fair._"

Esdras tightened his grip for a moment before he choked back a sob. The Glaive fell harmlessly to the ground, landing with a dull thud on the dirt floor of the shelter. His grip on the Oracle's cloak finally loosened. "_I didn't ask to be king. Not like this. Never like this…_"

Tears of ice fell from beneath the future king's hood as the stress of the day finally exerted its toll. The Oracle floated quickly forward, embracing him with tiny arms. "_No one but you could be king at a time like this. No one but you can restore Azkaban to glory. It is as it must be, even though it is not easy. But do not fear, child, for you are not alone._"

Sighing softly, Esdras gently hugged the small cloakling. Within seconds, he felt calmness wash over him. He knew it was the effect of the Oracle, but at this point, he did not care. He spoke quietly. "_I am not alone. Is that a prophecy, great Oracle?_"

The Oracle nestled into the future king's cloaks and laid her head down. The voice that replied was soft and tired. "_It is the truth, mighty Demnin._"

* * *

Esdras had been taking full advantage of the fact that, as a Dementor, he required far less sleep than a mortal. His days were spent in classes and his nights were spent drafting letters to Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic, overseeing construction, and planning for the upcoming coronation ceremony. It wouldn't be until he was crowned as king that the formal government of the Azkaban nation would take hold and the old ways could be reinstated. Until then, his nation was under martial law, and that meant that the admiral was constantly issuing orders as acting commander of the Azkaban Guard. At the coronation, the Guard would become the new Azkaban Navy, since the absence of a prison made the Guard obsolete. 

All told, it had taken just under three weeks and all the available engineer divisions working around the clock in triple shifts, but finally, the expansions to New Demnin were completed. The improved version of the town was capable of holding nearly 2.3 million Dementors, so there was space to spare. With one hundred heavily guarded entrances to the massive underground structure spread out over a two hundred fifty square mile area, it was obvious that the Dementors were now a force to be reckoned with in the area.

That was the first evening that Esdras had stayed in, his presence all but absent in the Ravenclaw common room until now. He smiled and relaxed in his favorite comfy chair by the fire. Roger Davies was sitting across from him, taking a break from reading his potions text. "So you're sure there's nothing left for you to do?"

Esdras nodded and put his feet up on a nearby hassock. "Not a thing. I'm totally free until the coronation this weekend. I've signed all the paperwork, issued patrol orders and perimeter guard assignments, decided on and confirmed governmental appointments to take effect after the coronation, approved the latest version of the promotion list for the navy, negotiated a new, temporary treaty with the Ministry, delegated authority for planning the coronation to the priest caste, and finished all my homework for tomorrow. I'm set."

The mortal nodded and pointed to the window. "Then why is there a Dementress hovering outside the window?"

The admiral turned sharply and groaned, motioning for the cloaked figure to enter. As she floated in through the window, he sighed heavily. "_What is it, Admiral Rook?_"

Admiral Valerie Rook, once the commander of the 778th Engineer Division responsible for the initial construction of the town of New Demnin, was the current commander of the 21st Engineering Fleet. She saluted sharply. "_Forgive the intrusion, Lord Admiral, but my men and I were wondering if you had approved our request for leave._"

Esdras laughed. "_Yes, Valerie, absolutely. All engineer divisions have been granted one month of vacation, but you are requested to stay close to the town in the event of a construction emergency._"

Valerie nodded. "_Of course, my Lord. It's just that we could all use some rest._"

The admiral sighed. "_You and me both._" He gave her a bright smile and saluted casually. "_Dismissed._"

Roger looked on as she floated back out the window. "What was that all about?"

Esdras smirked. "Vacation." He looked to his watch and stood up. "Time for dinner. Let's go."

The mortal looked to his watch and rose as well, leaving his textbook cracked open on the arm of the chair. They left the common room and walked down the hall towards the stairwell, which was absent, as usual. Roger threw an arm around the Dementor and the pair jumped into the stairwell, descending to the floor of the Entrance Hall. As they sank, the mortal spoke. "It's good to have you back. We were pretty worried about you there for a while."

The Dementor smirked. "It's good to be back. I just hope I'm able to balance my responsibilities as a king and as a student."

Roger nodded. "So you are going to stay and finish your last year here?"

Esdras landed softly on the ground and released his friend. Waiting by the doors of the Great Hall and smiling brightly was Katie. The Dementor smiled back and looked to his friend. "You couldn't drag me away."


	5. Coronation

Well, it's Friday, thank the Lord. That means that it's time for another chapter! This time, you are cordially invited to the coronation of His Majesty Esdras, King of Azkaban. White tie, black cloak reception to follow with open bar.

Once again, this is one of those chapters that I'm really pleased with, and I hope you'll see why. As a result, I would definitely like to hear everyone's opinion on it. And bonus points if you can find the Mythbusters reference. It's not hard to spot.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have taken the time to review:

To the ever faithful KRP – Yes, Katie now has military command authority. As for numbers, when Esdras first arrived, he was commanding about 150 Dementors; he mentions in this chapter how many he is commanding now. I figure Dumbledore's best choice to leave looking after the students is Hagrid, all he would have to do is get them fed and in bed, the big guy is good at things like that. And no, Katie does not have more authority than Dumbledore (except in military situations). She was just acting the part of the anxious girlfriend. Dumbledore asking her permission was him being understanding. As for the Oracle, you have to realize that since she can see the future, she knew that she was never in danger. Likewise, she would tell the First Infantry these things so they would be better able to protect her. And I do have Esdras' story planned out all the way to the end. I still don't know where I'll be taking the last book, though, because Deathly Hallows hasn't been released yet. But, I can guarantee you that it will be one hell of a ride.

To the always lovely Estel A Duath – Goodness knows that Esdras will need all the blessings he can get in the coming days. And Esdras and Katie say hello back to Minty. hehe…

To the ever faithful Snood – You're right, Dumbledore doesn't have to listen to Katie, but it's like he said, all the orders that she gave were the exact same orders he would have given if she hadn't been playing the part of the nervous girlfriend with command experience and authority. Besides, I like that whole scene because it shows how Katie is growing up and is now able to stand side by side with Esdras when push comes to shove. Having the island rise up is going to be a very important plot element, so I'm glad you like the idea. And I really don't know where the rogue Dementors went. I would assume they're hanging out near Voldemort and have built a rogue town with their rogue engineers. Anyway, enjoy the coronation; you and the rest of the regulars have front row seats!

All the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed should do so. I enjoy hearing your opinions and questions about my story, and will gladly reply. Besides, your comments help to make me a better writer. So please, let me know what you think and press the little blue button at the bottom.

And as always, the standard warnings apply. _All text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 5 – Coronation 

It had taken weeks for the list to be finalized. But finally, with the worst of the wounded stabilized and on the mend and the tally of renegade divisions known, the casualty list from the Battle of Azkaban was completed. As ordered, Aaron had given the list to Esdras immediately after it was completed, even though it was well before sunrise on the day of the coronation. The royal Dementor dismissed his friend and took the sheaves of parchment to the ramparts of the castle. There, Esdras Tarsus corvades Demnin slowly began to read every name on the list. He owed as much to the men that he had lost.

This was how Katie found him, surrounded by sheets of parchment listing the names, ranks, and serial numbers of the deceased, staring into the freshly risen sun, immune to and uncaring of its blinding glare. She had been warned by Aaron that Esdras had seen the list and sighed softly. Her voice was soft when she finally spoke. "Staring at the sun like that will make you go blind, you know."

The Dementor remained motionless as he felt a pair of arms encircle his sun warmed cloak. He looked back to the smiling face of Katie. There were icy tears in his eyes. "We lost twenty eight thousand nine hundred sixty two troops." He pointed to the cursed parchment. "There are Dementors on that list that I went to the Academy with."

Katie leaned against Esdras and held him close. "They fought bravely and they lived and died for their king." She took his head in her hands and stared deep into his eyes. "You must honor them by being the greatest king that Azkaban has ever had."

Esdras nodded, and then wiped the ice from his eyes. "They deserve that much, I dare say."

The mortal nodded softly and wisely said nothing, enjoyed the silence of the morning with her boyfriend. After a while, she began to tidy up the parchment pile and decided to lighten the mood by asking about something out that had been bothering her for some time now. "Esdras, what day is today on the Azkaban calendar?"

The Dementor replied without thinking. "The twenty third day of Orinaldes, Treaty Year 1024."

Katie nodded slowly. "And what day will tomorrow be?"

Esdras paused, and sighed heavily once he realized what she was getting at. Finally, he replied reluctantly. "The twenty fourth day of Orinaldes, Esdras 1. The Azkaban calendar year will become the year of my reign upon my coronation."

The mortal grinned and clapped her hands together excitedly. "This is wonderful! No more of that stupid treaty year stuff anymore." Her smile faded slowly and she was quiet for a moment before speaking softly to her companion. "You're nervous, aren't you?"

The future king laughed softly and shrugged. "In just over twelve hours, I will be crowned as monarch of a kingdom of 2,143,784 Dementors, as ruler of a commonwealth of 8,031,202 Dementors. With the coronation comes the appointment to Flag Admiral of the Azkaban Navy, the highest Azkaban military rank. I will be in charge of 771,459 troops here and 2,546,851 troops total. That's a lot of Dementors, and all of them will be looking to me for guidance during this war."

Katie nodded slowly, amazed by the massive number of subjects that her love would rule over. "And they will receive excellent guidance. You will be an excellent king. And you will have excellent advisors." She nudged him gently. "Prime Minister Aaron Reaping, Defense Minister Malachi DeCay, Health Minister Michaelis Transom. Should I go on?"

Esdras smirked slightly. "All three of them have been promoted to the admiralty; Captains Kirin, Maul, and Redoubt, too. There have been so many promotions, I've lost track of who is what rank now. Because of the battle, we lost so many officers that I basically had to recreate the Navy from the ground up. And after my coronation, all six of them will become nobility. They're having as much trouble getting used to that idea as I am to the idea of being king."

She arched an eyebrow at this. "Nobility? But why?"

The Dementor leaned back on the stone rampart and laced his fingers over his chest. "Between the major and minor houses, the major houses are Azkaban nobility, and nobility is a finicky thing. It can be granted and taken away at will by the reigning king. When the last Demnin king was dethroned with the Treaty of Edinburgh, the major and minor houses were held in place. Now that I am taking the crown, I will get to install my own nobility. Some houses are being retained, some are being dropped; other houses are being added. The house of Trieste will be granted nobility, for instance. Stephanie has proven her loyalty on many occasions."

The mortal smiled. "That's wonderful. Who else are you going to be elevating?"

Esdras looked quietly out across the lake. "I had wanted to talk to you about that. There is one other person who has proven their loyalty to me on many occasions. Someone I trust without question, someone I would trust with my very life." He turned to face Katie, his green eyes glowing brightly from beneath his hood. "I wish to make you nobility. You are a citizen of Azkaban, so you are allowed the honor. Under Azkaban law, your family will be able to say they are of a noble house, but because they are not citizens, they will be unable to take the title of lord or lady. It is unusual to have a mortal noble, but it will not be questioned."

Katie gasped softly and put her hands to her mouth. She was quiet for a long time before finally speaking. "I feel like I'm in one of the fairy tales my mother used to tell me as a child. Along comes this handsome king who sweeps me off my feet, and now he wants to make me a noble lady. Tell me you're not a dream."

Rising slowly from his place on the stones and pulling her closer, the Dementor kissed her passionately, leaving the young mortal weak kneed. "Real enough for you?"

The mortal nodded slowly, closing her eyes and leaning against his chest. "Yes, majesty." She laughed softly and kissed him playfully on the cheek. "Now come on. Breakfast is waiting."

* * *

The change to the courtyard of the castle was amazing. At intervals along the walls stood towering marble statues of the Azkaban deities and every surface was draped with banners of black and platinum bearing the crest of the royal house. Torches and brilliant green fire emeralds provided warm lighting to the vast open space. Guests were slowly filing in, and many had come to witness the exceedingly rare ceremony of an Azkaban coronation. Seated in the first row reserved for mortals were the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, and various other officials from the Ministry. They were accompanied by the faculty of Hogwarts, Katie's parents and elder brother, and the mortal members of the Order of the Phoenix who were able to take the time from their duties to come. Noticeable among them were the Weasleys, who were happy to take the coronation as a chance to see their children at school. 

Behind the mortal dignitaries, all dressed in fine dress robes, sat the students. They were dressed in Hogwarts uniforms which had all been freshly laundered and pressed as per Dumbledore's instruction that every student was to look their best for the ceremony. For their part, they sat quietly in their seats, talking amongst themselves as they awaited the start of the ceremony.

Above the mortals floated tier after tier of Dementor. Every last Dementor from New Demnin who was physically able to had taken a place around the open courtyard in order to watch the coronation. Those who couldn't attend would be listening in over the communication charm in their cloaks. Representatives from the major settlements of the Azkaban Commonwealth were on hand. All had brought gifts to celebrate the return of the Azkaban monarchy. Even though the times were dark, there would be no stopping the celebration of this momentous occasion.

Finally, with all in place, there came a great fanfare from the gates leading into the courtyard. A slow procession began, threading its way down the aisle between the mortal seats. At the head of the procession was the priest caste, identifiable only by their ceremonial cloaks, and the white bands around their hoods, which were down around their shoulders. The Dementor priests all floated in time with the bright march being played and took their places surrounding the dais that had been set up at the base of the enormous statue of the god Demnin.

Following behind the priests were the noble houses and noble house appointees. Those who were of the military wore their dress uniforms with formal cloaks, those who were not were dressed in cloaks of the finest silk. They all also wore their hoods down and floated in time with the music. Students of Hogwarts gasped when they saw the dark blonde head of their own Katie Bell marching in time with the white haired Dementors. She wore the dress uniform of a captain of the Azkaban Navy, complete with black leather gloves and silver sword, and carried herself with noble comportment. Her long black skirt and the cloak covering her uniform coat flowed as she moved, making it seem as if she were floating, too. She continued along with the rest of the nobility until they came to rest before the dais.

Next floated the Oracle, who carried with her an ancient tome. She floated quietly on her own, bringing with her both the innocence of youth and the wisdom of old age as she floated to the top of the platform, hovering to the left of the throne that rested at the feet of the statue of the divinity. As the Dementor music faded away in the breeze, the Oracle turned, her blind white eye sockets scanning across the gathered crowd. She opened the ancient tome and spoke, reciting the lines from memory. Her voice was quiet, yet it filled the entire courtyard and beyond. "_Rejoice, Azkaban, for today our king is risen._"

Over two million Dementors and one mortal replied in unison. "_The gods have heard our call and delivered him forth._"

The Oracle turned and bowed to the terrifying statue of the death god. "_Let us give thanks to the divinities for their many blessings._"

Again, the Dementors responded, bowing as well. "_It is right, and our bounden duty to praise them for all things._"

The tiny cloakling turned to face the gate from whence she had entered. "_We praise the gods who are of Azkaban and who are Azkaban. But highest among them, we praise Demnin, who brought with him, to this transitory plane, wisdom and fairness of rule. Today, a new king rises to take his place, to lead us and to protect us. Come forth, mighty king, descended of the ancient Demnin. Come forth, Esdras Tarsus corvades Demnin._"

Out of the darkness of the courtyard gate, a familiar form appeared. Katie gasped as Esdras materialized into view from the shadows. He wore the dress uniform of Flag Admiral; six platinum crescent moons graced his shoulder boards. His hood was down and his pure white hair shone in the torch light. He floated calmly down the aisle with a grace and composure she had never seen before. In that moment, Katie realized that Esdras really was destined to be king.

Esdras Demnin came to a halt at the base of the dais. He knelt slowly before the Oracle and his voice filled the courtyard. "_The people of Azkaban have called forth for a king. Though I am not worthy, I will serve, should they have me._"

The Oracle nodded and again scanned the crowd. "_You have heard what this Dementor has to say. Will any object?_" There was absolute silence. Again, the Oracle nodded. "_The voice of the people is the voice of the gods. Azkaban and her gods do not object. Rise and approach, Esdras Tarsus corvades Demnin. Take your rightful place among us, and lead us with a fair and steadfast hand._"

Esdras rose, casting his eye sockets about to slowly take in the Dementors surrounding him. He sighed softly and resigned himself to his fate. "_The will of the gods shall be done._"

He quietly glided up to the platform and knelt beside the Oracle. They were joined by members of the priest caste, all of whom held various parts of the crown jewels. The Oracle handed off her ancient book to a nearby priest and floated down to place her hands upon Esdras' head. "_Remember, Dementor, that thou art not the power, but merely the device to focus divine light into the flame of truth._"

The kneeling figure bowed his head and spoke clearly. "_I will call upon the names of the gods. In my hour of need, they will come forth to guide me, and Demnin, my ancient forefather, will show me the path of righteousness. I praise the gods of Azkaban, and lay myself at their feet._"

From the nearest priest, the Oracle took the great arched platinum, diamond, and fire emerald crown of the king. She raised it high above her head and spoke loudly and clearly. "_By the grace of the Azkaban gods, I crown thee Esdras, of the kingdom of Azkaban and of the Azkaban Dominions beyond the Seas King, Defender of the Faith._"

The mortals in the audience marveled as the Dementors above and around them all knelt, regardless of whether they were at ground level or in midair. As the crown descended to rest upon the head of the king, they shouted with a single voice. "_GODS SAVE THE KING!_"

At this, trumpets sounded and fireworks flew into the air, detonating with thunderous explosions. As Esdras rose, a wide platinum band appeared around the edge of his cloak, indicating his change in title. The royal Dementor glided forward, pausing in front of the throne. The great chair was carved of cedar and decorated with platinum inlay. When he could hesitate no longer, he turned slowly and took his place in the throne to the accolades of his people. "_Gods save King Esdras! Long live King Esdras!_"

* * *

It took over half an hour for the cheering of the Dementors to fade away and the ceremony to proceed. The Oracle approached, bearing with her an ornate sword. She curtsied deeply and held it out. "_The Sword of Temporal Justice, to remind you that your decisions are made for the whole of Azkaban. The gods are the supreme source of all law, and you are their blade. Use your power well._" 

Esdras rose and took the heavy sword, sheathing it and attaching it to his sword belt. The Oracle moved away and an elderly priest floated forward, in his hands was a sword, broken at the tip. He bowed and extended the weapon. "_The Sword of Mercy, to remind you that with the greatest power comes the greatest power for forgiveness. Use your power well._"

The king again took the sword, sheathing it and hanging it above the Sword of Temporal Justice. The Oracle again floated in front of the king and Esdras pulled the terrible platinum Glaive of Silence from his sleeve, holding the ten foot long polearm out in front of him. The Oracle curtsied again and placed her hands upon the ancient weapon before she spoke. "_By virtue of your royal blood and divine heritage, you alone bear the Glaive of Silence, the divine weapon, the tool of spiritual justice. Strike down evil wherever you find it, and remember your divine heritage. Use your power well._"

Esdras nodded and brought the spear tip of the bladed weapon down with a soft clink against the platform. The Oracle floated aside and the fully crowned and garbed king of all Dementors floated forward to address his friends and subjects. He was quiet for a few seconds as he gathered his thoughts. Finally he spoke slowly. "_I have had dreams and nightmares about this day, and now that it has come, I know that it is both a dream and a nightmare. The circumstances that have brought about this coronation today are the stuff of nightmares. We are a people at war with ourselves, but we must realize that only through the gods will we prevail. But, we are also a state again, a dream realized after so very long. We have power and respect, and together we will build a new foundation for our people. Neither war nor the ignorance of those who had once oppressed us shall last forever. In the time to come, we will show our true strength, and we will flourish._"

The people of Azkaban again cheered. The optimistic words of their king strengthened their hearts and souls and gave them hope. Finally, Esdras returned to his throne and sat comfortably, looking more and more like a king. When the cheering had died down, the Oracle floated forwards. "_The candidates for the ranks of nobility will approach to receive their honors._"

Here, the Dementors surrounding Katie began to proceed up the dais by families, where they knelt before the king, who calmly placed coronets upon their heads and announced them to the gathered crowd. She was pleased to see the Reaping family before her, complete with Sasha, who had cut short her tour with the Weird Sisters to attend the coronation. The mortal smiled brightly as Jacob and Calla waved wildly at her from their parents' shoulders. Soon it was their turn, and the five Dementors came to kneel before the great King of Azkaban. Esdras laughed softly and rose for his friends, taking the silver coronets offered by the Oracle and placing them on their heads. "_Rise, Lord Admiral Aaron Martius cordes Reaping, Lady Christine Deshka cordes Reaping, Lady Sasha Caelia cordes Reaping, Lord Jacob Martius cordes Reaping, and Lady Calla Aventinia cordes Reaping._"

The five Dementors rose, and narrow bands of silver appeared along the edges of their cloaks, denoting them as nobility. Words of congratulations were exchanged between Esdras and his friends, and then it was her turn. Katie stepped forward and knelt before Esdras as she had seen the others do. There was total silence for a long while before the Oracle, herself wearing a tiny silver coronet and silver banded cloak, spoke. "_Captain Katherine Elizabeth mashavades Bell, you are a candidate for nobility. Are you familiar with the Oath of Loyalty?_"

The mortal did not look up. "_I am, great Oracle._"

Now, Esdras spoke up, his voice filling the courtyard. "_Captain Katherine Elizabeth mashavades Bell, you are mortal and bear only part of the soul of a Dementor. You are neither required to accept honors nor swear loyalty to the Demnin king beyond your oath as a naval officer. Do you still wish so to do?_"

Katie again did not look up. "_It is my wish, Majesty._"

The king nodded slowly. "_Very well._"

The mortal spoke clearly, pronouncing the words as much for Esdras as for everyone else in the enormous crowd. "_I swear to the gods of Azkaban, who bore our island home from the mists of the sea, that I will serve the King of Azkaban truly and faithfully. I make this oath of my own free will, without fear or reservation. I will stand firm against our enemies, and secure the good of the Azkaban people. This is my solemn vow._"

Esdras turned and nodded to the Oracle, who presented the king with a slender silver coronet, decorated with a fire emerald surrounded by sapphires. The king slowly placed the coronet upon Katie's head and offered her his hand. As she rose, her cloak shimmered, taking on the thin band of silver to denote her new title. The king spoke clearly. "_Rise, Lady Katherine Elizabeth mashacordes Bell._" He addressed the mortal audience, taking his mortal voice for the first time since the start of the ceremony. "Rise, Lady Katherine Elizabeth of the noble mortal house of Bell."

* * *

The reception that followed the coronation was an official Azkaban event, so, like the coronation, the dress code called for hoods to be worn down, even with the presence of mortals. It would have been impossible to cater a party for 2.1 million Dementors and mortals, so the reception was strictly by invitation only. Held in the Great Hall, only the highest echelon of guests were in attendance. This also included a number of students, the closest of Esdras' friends at Hogwarts, and, by special request, Ellen Riley. The new king had greeted the positively lovely young couple of Ian and Ellen earlier, the Dementor had knelt in the ancient custom and the mortal had curtsied before him, even though she was not required to. 

Presently, Esdras was engaged in a conversation with one of the delegations from North America when he felt a warm arm insinuate itself around his. He laughed softly. "_Lord Admiral Adam Savage, governor of Alcatraz, may I introduce Lady Katherine Bell._"

The American Dementor bowed politely. "_Lady Katherine, when his majesty was visiting us on Alcatraz, he mentioned you quite frequently._"

Katie smiled brightly to the towering figure. "_All good things, I hope?_"

The admiral laughed. "_Naturally._"

The mortal laughed in turn and turned to Esdras. "_You said that you wanted me to remind you to talk to Scrimgeour._"

The king nodded quickly and turned to face the governor. "_I will have to get back to you. I'm afraid I must make my presence known to the mortals, lest we have diplomatic incident._"

Adam nodded and saluted. "_Of course, Majesty._"

Esdras returned the salute and floated away with Katie on his arm. She looked up at him and grinned. "_I can't believe you were nervous about all this. You were born to rule._"

The Dementor sighed. "_Say what you will, it's not easy._"

Katie nodded politely and looked around the crowd of Dementors and mortals. "_I haven't seen Professor Slughorn anywhere. I would think ingratiating himself with the new King of Azkaban would be top on his list._"

Esdras nodded. "_Exactly. That's why he didn't get an invitation to the reception._" He laughed softly at her stifled grin. "_I haven't had to deal with the Slug Club for three weeks while I've been trying to organize the kingdom; you think I'm going to deal with it now?_"

The mortal noble shook her head and finally broke out into laughter. "_No, I guess not. But I would imagine he's going to try to force three weeks worth of dinner invitations on you all at once._"

The Dementor nodded. "_I would imagine so. But I'm prepared to accept that so long as my kingdom has a steady foundation._" They made their way slowly through the crowd until Esdras came to his new prime minister. He tapped Aaron on the shoulder and grunted. "_Come on, Lord Admiral. We have to meet the mortals_."

Aaron nodded and laughed softly. "_Please, don't call me Lord Admiral._"

The king shook his head slowly. "_Oh no, my friend, you've called me that for years, so don't think you're getting out of it._"

Katie grinned happily at the pair as they glided towards the mortal delegation. However, she did a double take at the form behind the Minister. Aaron's voice was full of disbelief. "_Oh my gods, tell me that's not who I think it is…_"

Katie's eyes went wide, but she managed to control her expression by the time they reached the Minister. Rufus Scrimgeour extended a hand to the Dementor and spoke briskly. "Your Majesty, I offer you congratulations on behalf of the British Ministry of Magic on this, the day of your coronation. I hope your rule is a long and fruitful one." He stepped aside, revealing the rest of his party. "I believe you already know Cornelius Fudge and Dolores Umbridge."

Esdras and Aaron both hissed loudly, causing the now grey haired and incredibly frightened Umbridge to back away in unbridled terror, hiding behind Fudge who was trying to hide behind Scrimgeour. The king and prime minister stared imperiously down at them with empty eye sockets. Finally, Esdras spoke icily. "Unfortunately, you are correct. However, I was under the impression that the Ministry had elves that took out the trash on a regular basis." He gestured to Aaron and Katie. "May I introduce Lord Admiral Aaron Reaping and the Lady Captain Katherine Bell."

Scrimgeour took her hand and shook it with a condescending smile on his face. "Pleased to meet you, Miss Bell."

Katie was quick to correct the minister and spoke with the authority provided to her by her new nobility. "You will address me as either Lady Katherine or Captain Bell, Minister. See that you do not make that mistake again if you wish to live. If you were to address any other member of the nobility in such a casual manner I doubt they would be as forgiving as I."

The Minister of Magic stared at the mortal girl for a second, trying to determine if she was serious or not. When it became all too clear that she was, he nodded. "Very well, Lady Katherine." He cleared his throat and turned his attention to the Dementor at her side. "Your Majesty, I understand you've had some problems in the past, but I want to assure you that the Ministry wishes to work together with the Azkaban government under the auspices of the new treaty. You have my word."

The king nodded briefly, his eyes never leaving the two cowering figures behind the Minister. "You'll forgive me, I'm sure you are quite sincere but I have trouble believing anything you say with those two standing directly behind you." Esdras stared quietly at the trio for a moment longer. "We have nothing more to discuss."


	6. Death and Divinity

Well, it's Monday again, and that means it's time for another chapter! This is going to be yet another one of those chapters that I'm really proud of and I hope you'll see why. This time, the battle to save a life.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – I figure Umbridge and Fudge had no choice but to go to the coronation and party. If your boss tells you to go, then you go. And you're right, she could go by Lady Katie but every time I said it in my head, it just sounded foolish, thus Lady Katherine Bell was born. I'm glad you liked the ceremony; I pulled some bits from the Anglican Book of Common Prayer and the coronation ceremony of QE2, so I think it really had the right old English flavor. And Malfoy is going to be busy in the shadows this year. And Esdras will be busy, too...as you'll soon see.

To the ever faithful KRP – They certainly didn't get invitations, but like I told Snood, if your boss tells you to go, you go. Yes, there will be a lot of bowing going on this year, that and saluting, of course. And all the noble coronets have jewels on them, different jewel patterns for different houses. Katie's is no different from any other; I just took more care to describe it. The two swords that Esdras received are nothing more than ceremonial swords; they have no powers, sadly. As for how the students sat through it, I would imagine they had some sort of program written in English. A mortal noblewoman and officer like Katie is highly unusual, but let's face it, she's Katie. If any mortal were going to be accepted as both, it would be her.

To the always entertaining buffalo1 – Well, you can't really blame Scrimgeour for bringing those two along, he couldn't have known they would have brought about such a response. And I doubt Fudge and Umbridge are the types to volunteer the fact that the Dementors hate them with a passion. And I'm glad you picked up on the insult. I wanted to show how little is still understood (or cared to be understood) by the Ministry about their cloaked neighbors.

All the rest of y'all should review. It's good to hear from you and I like seeing what you think. Your reviews help make me a better writer, so please, press the blue button and tell me what you think.

And as always, _text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 6 – Death and Divinity 

The morning of the first Hogsmeade weekend dawned bright and clear, a welcome change. In the Great Hall, things had finally returned to normal. The rise of the Azkaban monarchy and reinstatement of the Azkaban Navy had stabilized things and given Esdras less work than at the start of the year. Now, with a functional Dementor government in place and a military to protect them, things were starting to get back to normal. However, instead of receiving daily briefings from Captain Reaping about the status of his fleet, Esdras was receiving daily briefings from Prime Minister Reaping and Defense Minister DeCay about the status of his kingdom and navy, respectively. He was still active in ruling his people and made a trip to New Demnin every evening once his homework was finished, but his trust in his subordinates allowed him to continue with the last year of his mortal schooling.

Currently, Esdras and Aaron were listening with interest as Katie explained what could best be described as the evacuation of Diagon Alley, something which they had been completely unaware of up until only a few minutes ago. She regarded them both calmly over her cup of tea as she spoke. "You two didn't get to see it since you were so busy touring the world, but it's true. So many shops on Diagon Alley have closed down that it isn't even funny. Even Ollivander's was closed down; and no one knows where Mr. Ollivander disappeared to, either."

Esdras looked dismayed at this. "He was such a nice man when I met him before the Triwizard Tournament. I hope nothing bad happened to him."

Katie nodded quietly and continued on. "Anyway, I'm just hoping Hogsmeade has faired better. It would be depressing if there's nowhere fun to go while we're there. But, a day out of the castle is a day out of the castle."

The king and prime minister exchanged glances and Aaron bowed politely to Esdras. "Well, if you'll excuse me, Majesty, I must be off."

The Dementor king groaned and slammed his head against the table. "Damned it, Aaron, quit calling me Majesty! If you won't listen to your old friend's request, consider it a royal decree."

Aaron laughed softly and bowed. "Fine, fine, whatever you say, Esdras." He looked to Katie and bowed as well. "You two have fun at Hogsmeade. Christine and I will meet you at the Three Broomsticks for lunch if you'd like."

Katie smiled brightly at this. "Yes, that would be lovely."

With a nod and a wave, the prime minister of Azkaban was off, headed back towards New Demnin to implement the king's policy. Esdras turned to Katie and indicated her teacup. "If you're finished, I think we ought to get going. Between school work and royal reign, I'd like to spend a little time just being me."

The mortal quickly drained her cup and grinned. "I wouldn't have you any other way. Let's get out of here."

* * *

Katie was pleased to see that Hogsmeade had not succumbed to the same fate as Diagon Alley. However, this was for an entirely unexpected reason. Dementors from New Demnin had produced an incredible boom in the local economy, and with the added security provided by the cloaked neighbors, the general consensus on the street was that the town of Hogsmeade had never been safer. Any shop that had closed down was now open again and doing a splendid business. The young mortal laughed to her cloaked companion as they overheard two witches discussing how a Dementor had helped one of them fix the shingles on her roof for no charge. "And to think these were the same people that were terrified of Dementors a few years ago." 

Esdras grinned and took his natural form, pausing to wave at a small child who merely grinned at the nine foot tall creature and waved back. "How times have changed."

As they walked through the town, the platinum band on Esdras' cloak and the silver band on Katie's meant that the Dementors that passed them by would either bow if civilian or salute if military. Esdras took this all in stride and used the opportunity to instill confidence in his people, merely by treating the day as a normal day. Around lunchtime the pair happily made their way to the Three Broomsticks. Sure enough, waiting there for them were Aaron and Christine. They bowed out of custom and Aaron handed them both bottles. "Guess who started stocking green mint beer?"

The king of Dementors took the bottle happily and laughed. "Way to go, Rosemerta!" He looked around. "Where is she?"

His friends looked up and down the bar and finally just shrugged when their search came up empty. Katie took a brief sip from her bottle and looked around as well. "Well, should we go find a table?"

Christine nudged her softly, pointing to the tables that were all at mortal height. "We'll have to eat at the bar. She has gotten around to stocking Dementor beer, but the Dementor sized tables are still being built. We would enlarge these ones, but she's rather fond of them as they are and doesn't appreciate anyone charming them. We don't mind."

Katie nodded wisely and hopped up onto a barstool beside Esdras. However, after a few minutes, she hopped off the stool. Esdras turned and called out to her. "Where are you off to?"

The mortal sighed and rolled her eyes. "If you must know, I'm off to the little witch's room."

The Dementor nodded and returned to his conversation with Aaron and Christine. They were intently discussing the restart of the Azkaban primary and secondary schools and had lost all track of time by the time they were joined by another pair of Dementors, Defense Minister Malachi DeCay and Commander Stephanie Trieste. Esdras grinned happily and ordered another pair of mint beers for the happy couple. They bowed politely, but Malachi arched his hood curiously at the king. "I thought you were at the castle."

Esdras shook his head. "No way, it's a Hogsmeade weekend, you couldn't keep me away. Whatever gave you that idea?"

Stephanie shrugged and jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "We ran into Katie on the way here, she was walking back towards the castle with a package and told us you were there."

The king turned to face the Reapings, curiosity and concern written on his mortal face. "She told me she was just going to the bathroom. What is she doing going back to the castle? She even left her beer."

As he got up to go after her, the door opened quickly, revealing a panting Roger Davies. He screamed out to his friend. "Esdras, come quick! Something's happened to Katie!"

Not one, but five Dementors rocketed through the door with afterburners roaring. Aaron grabbed Roger as they passed and he directed them down the High Street. As they turned onto the road that led towards the school, they were shocked by what they saw. There, hovering six feet up in midair and screaming in indescribable pain, was Katie.

Esdras cried out and rushed forward, grabbing her from midair and holding her. He called out to her. "Katie, come on. Talk to me." When she did not stop screaming, he turned quickly to his subordinates. "Aaron and Christine, you're with me. Stephanie, contact New Demnin and have Dr. Transom and medical services meet me in the Hospital Wing. Malachi, secure the area, find out who or what did this to her. Place the school, Hogsmeade, and New Demnin under Azkaban martial law. Lock down everything and everyone, no one is to leave. Kill anyone who tries!"

Without further preamble, the King of Azkaban, holding his stricken love close, turned and flew towards the school with full afterburners roaring behind him.

* * *

Madame Pomfrey always enjoyed non-Quidditch Saturdays because they usually brought in no casualties. This meant a nice, relaxed day to recover from the week and clean up around the Hospital Wing. Her first clue that the day wouldn't be normal was when the klaxons sounded and the announcement played throughout the school indicating the institution of Azkaban Martial Law and the lockdown of the school by order of Defense Minister Lord Admiral Malachi DeCay. The second clue was when the west wall of the Hospital Wing violently exploded to reveal a frantic looking Esdras. He was holding Katie, who was screaming in pain. His eyes glowed acidic green, and he only spoke one thing. "Fix her." 

She barely had time to respond before a full Azkaban hospital division, over ninety Dementors strong, barreled their way into the Hospital Wing, pushing away all the beds and clearing one massive space to treat the stricken mortal. At the head of the division was Doctor Transom, and he spoke only to Pomfrey in a no nonsense voice. "Patient, Katherine Elizabeth Bell, seventeen year old mortal human female, dual component soul; we'll run synchronized mortal and Dementor triage spells and determine the damage. Let's go."

Effortlessly sliding into emergency mode, the nurse nodded sharply. She cast the spell over Katie, who was hovering disturbingly over the bed they had placed her on. It took seconds for the results of the triage spell to come back. "Triage spell shows massive neural activity in the pain centers of her brain." She looked at the spell results again in shock. "This can't be right. Her heart rate is 300 beats per minute and blood pressure is 250/190. She's in shock, renal failure, hepatic failure, and endocrine failure. All of her vital organs are shutting down."

Dr. Transom nodded. "It's right, I'm getting the same results. Patient is currently projecting zero point two soul equivalents. She'd be dead already if she weren't joined to Esdras. I want to try to stabilize her by linking their souls and using an ichor fountain."

Madame Pomfrey nodded, only partially aware of the procedure, but knowing more that Katie would be dead for sure if her soul was lost. "Do it. We just lost pancreatic function and the rest of her digestive system is shutting down as we speak."

The doctor nodded and turned to face the king. "Esdras, float over top of her and expel your soul. We'll take care of the rest."

Esdras did as told and, after saying the proper spells, watched as the glowing black crystal of his soul separated from his body. Below him, the medical staff quickly performed a modified Kiss, extracting and joining the glowing silver crystal of Katie's soul with Esdras'. Within seconds, a beam of shining ichor was flowing from the Dementor to the combined souls, continuing through to the mortal's body. One of the nurses cast a quick triage spell and nodded. "She's stabilized at zero point five soul equivalents, but I don't know how long we can keep it up."

Dr. Transom huffed. "We'll keep it up for as long as it takes. We won't loose her." He turned to a nearby nurse. "Inject the king with two hundred milliliters of ichodrenaline and push another twenty five every two minutes. We have to keep his ichor production rate high."

The combined medical team of Dementors and humans worked quickly, frantically trying to stabilize the spell damage that was racking Katie's body, mind, and soul with pain. As Esdras watched on, a soft voice came to him. "_She will find the boundary, majesty. But she shall yet live. And through this miracle, she shall bring forth a miracle of the highest order to us Dementors. You must have faith to see this trial through to the end._"

The king roared in anger, twisting his neck around to the tiny form that had wrapped its arms around his neck. "_Let every one of the gods damn you, Oracle. I have no time for your mysteries!_"

The Oracle, however, shook her head. "_You must go to her. She must know what is going on, too. With your souls joined together, it is easy for me to join your minds. You must not object, Majesty. This is my prophecy, heed it well._"

Looking down towards Dr. Transom, he huffed slightly when the doctor gave a quick nod. Esdras growled. "_Do what you must._"

* * *

Wherever Katie was, it was insanely dark. So dark that she was completely unable to tell left from right or up from down. And there was the pain, it surrounded her and invaded every last inch of her. Through her own tears and screams, she began to discern a voice calling to her. With her own voice, shaky and thick with tears, she called back. "Esdras?" 

The king of Dementors cut through the darkness. He zeroed in on her voice and floated through Katie's unconscious mind. Even with all the medical assistance she was receiving, it was difficult to find her soul, which glowed only half as brightly as it should. Finally, he reached her, and embraced the pale grey form. "Katie, it's alright now. I'm here for you."

The mortal cried into his shoulder, the pain ripping away at her very being. "Where am I? Why does it hurt? Please make it stop."

Tears of ice pooled in Esdras' eyes. "We're inside your mind. You're unconscious. There was…there was an accident. We don't know what happened yet or why. You've been badly cursed, and we're trying to fix the damage." He took a shuddering breath, trying to keep his own sobs at bay. "Dr. Transom and Madame Pomfrey are working on you. Everything will be fine. You just have to hold on."

Katie nodded and hugged Esdras tightly, still in pain, but glad to no longer be alone. She shivered. "Esdras, I want you to know something. If I don't…"

The Dementor cut her off. "No. No last goodbyes or anything crazy like that. You're going to survive this."

The mortal nodded and slumped into his embrace.

* * *

Outside the mindscape of the injured Katie, the medical teams continued to work as fast as was safely possible. Dumbledore rushed into the Hospital Wing and was shocked by what he saw. Esdras and Katie were still locked in the ichor fountain that Dr. Transom had set up, and the medical teams were frantically trying to heal the spell damaged mortal. The headmaster strode forward into the fray. "How can I help?" 

Dr. Transom looked up and saw who was asking. His voice was relieved. "Thank the gods. I need your Patronus on top of Esdras. He can process the extra energy directly through his supersolenoid and shunt it down the ichor fountain. That should buy us a little time."

Dumbledore nodded and called forth the Patronus, which flew forward and settled onto Esdras' back with wings spread. The shining silver wings of the phoenix gave the Dementor king an even more ominous appearance. Madame Pomfrey looked up from her ministrations on Katie and regarded the sight. "I'll supply my own Patronus when I'm done with this, but we need to get more."

The doctor nodded quickly and turned to the nearest nurse. "Ensign, go find everyone with viable corporeal Patroni, professors and students both. They are the ones who helped us when we were first exiled. Go!"

* * *

He held her tightly for what could have been seconds or hours, for within the darkness there was no way to tell the passage of time. He startled slightly when he saw a light. Katie shifted in his arms. "Esdras…I have to go." 

The light in front of him had resolved itself into a shimmering plane. Esdras and Katie stood before the barrier of life and death. The Dementor struggled to keep hold of her. "No. It's not your time. You can't touch the barrier yet."

Katie looked up and smiled, her face illuminated by the glow of the final threshold. "Don't worry, my love. I will wait for you on the other side." With inhuman strength channeled directly from the barrier, she carefully pried herself from his embrace. Her voice was soft. "I must go now."

The Dementor sobbed piteously, and then screamed into the darkening night. "Oracle! Tell Transom to expend more of my ichor to stabilize her!" In the shadows of his own mind, he heard her response and growled. "Then use Patroni, link them directly into my supersolenoid." His hood grew wide at the response. "They all did? Harry and Dumbledore both, too? No…"

The mortal placed a hand on the pale skin of the Dementor's cheek and smiled sadly. "They have done the best they could. Tell them that I understand that and am at peace." The barrier was now directly behind her. It surrounded her like a glorious aura. "I loved you from the very first moment I laid eyes on you."

The barrier engulfed her. Esdras Demnin screamed.

* * *

In the Hogwarts Hospital Wing, the dual triage spells fell silent. The mortal spell registered asystole and the Dementor spell registered zero soul equivalents. Surrounding the body, the combined forces of mortal and Dementor medical technicians paused, heads and hoods lowered in respect for the life they couldn't save. They were interrupted from their silence by the voice of the Oracle. "_He comes._" 

Esdras Demnin screamed. Below him, all eyes and hoods lifted to the Dementor above them. In a flash of silver light, the cloak around his shoulders began to glow, finally resolving into a pure white garment. His body extended painfully, what had once been a nine foot Dementor became twelve feet tall. From within the hood, two mirror calm pools of mercury appeared in the place of the empty eye sockets. The form gracefully floated from his high hovering position to float before the stunned crowd with arms raised. When he lowered them, the right held the Glaive of Silence, glowing furiously and now thirteen feet tall, and the left hand held an hourglass, the upper chamber filled with ichor that did not flow into the bottom.

The Dementors in the crowd backed away in fear and terror, chanting prayers and supplications. Their prayers went unheard as the stilled body of Katie screamed in reply. Her Hogwarts uniform transformed, becoming a beautiful black silk gown, flatteringly cut with a corset top and dangerously high slits up the legs. A black cloak graced her shoulders. Her hair changed from its normal straight dark blond to a straight glossy black. Her eyes opened, revealing that her brown eyes had changed, iris and sclera disappearing to become pure pools of midnight black. She rose from the bed she was on and raised her arms. When she lowered them, the right hand held a deadly looking scythe and the left held an hourglass, the sand within flowing steadily.

The mortals now backed away, joining the Dementors who were looking on with ultimate fear written on their hoods. Before them, the two forms in black and white stepped forward and regarded each other silently. The white clad one spoke, his voice seemed to come from everywhere at once. "Hail, Death, destroyer of worlds."

The black clad form nodded politely, a soft smile played about her lips. Her voice held a similar all encompassing quality. "Hail, ancient Demnin, born of the mists. It is agreeable to see you again."

Demnin nodded, his reflective, mercuric eyes taking in the form before him. "I had almost forgotten your talent for understatement."

Death laughed lightly, resting her scythe against her shoulder and placing a hand softly upon the Azkaban deity's chest where she idly traced patterns over the soft, white fabric. She spoke seriously, but the smile remained on her face. "We have returned to this plane early, have we not?"

The deity seemed to look around for the first time, taking in the ranks of Dementors who were knelt in prayer and the scared mortals backed against the wall. He narrowed his hood in thought. "We have not truly returned; the transformation of my host is not of his volition. This is but the beginning. The inevitable future will flow from the here and now."

The black clad figure tapped her lips softly, and then nodded in understanding. "Your host was joined to the mortal girl. Her death induced his ascension. It is all clear now, everything is moving as planned. It is not her time yet, she shall be restored."

Demnin nodded. "Very well. But first, there is a matter I must attend to."

Death nodded in reply and the divinity glided away, coming to rest before the smallest of the kneeling Dementors. He reached down and picked the cloakling up, holding her quivering form close. The Oracle was reciting her prayers in a shaky voice. _"…he who gathered up the land from the mist and crafted our forms from his own shroud, hear us now and forever, and lead us into the third age. We bless and praise you, mighty Demnin, god of death..._"

The deity interrupted the prayers softly. "_I have heard your prayers, my child, but it is not yet time for me to come. Hear now your last prophecy, Kara Grim._"

The Oracle nodded and Demnin brought her close and whispered softly into her hood. When the prophecy had been delivered, the divinity lowered the Oracle's hood and softly kissed the cloakling's forehead. The tiny form shivered and cried out before falling unconscious. The deity released the floating form and glided back to the waiting Death. He nodded and she inclined her head. "We will be together again soon, ancient Demnin. Perhaps then…?"

Demnin nodded and the black clad Death smiled shyly before closing her eyes. There was a brilliant glow, and the mortal form of Katie Bell was restored to normal. The deity caught her before she fell and lifted her up. He turned to the mortals and spoke with authority. "I will take her to your hospital facility. The form of my host knows where to take her. Join them there immediately. Behold the word of Demnin, who must be obeyed."

With a blinding flash of white, the Azkaban god of death disappeared.


	7. Inconsolable Loss

Well, it's Friday again, and not a moment too soon. This time, hopefully, most of your questions will be answered. Not all…but most.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful KRP – Don't worry, your confuzzlement is understandable. I hope this chapter will clear up most of it, although there are still a few threads to the story which will only be revealed in time. As for the use of a whole hospital division to work on Katie, you have to remember that New Demnin has many more than just one. Even if one division expended all their resources, the hospitals in town are still going to be fully stocked and capable. And now we come to Death and Demnin, a most curious pair. I will have to leave this a mystery for you. All I will tell you is that Death is a new character, so you haven't missed anything, and their roles will be clear by the end of the series.

To the ever faithful Estel A Duath – Behold, I am proud to bestow upon you the title of ever faithful reviewer. Review with pride. And I don't think the Patroni will help Esdras or Katie, but they will definitely be needed as you will see.

To the ever faithful Snood – Writing the curse and hospital scene was one of the hardest things I've had to do yet. As for the martial law, you're right that Dementors are under asylum. However, they are still the major protective force for Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. In an emergency situation, they still have the ability to lock down the school and town and go into defender mode (like in the last book, only with more troops). Thank you for trusting me in regards to story development with Death and Demnin. Like I told KRP, this will be a bit of a mystery so you'll just have to see where it goes. I promise it'll be worth the wait.

To our newcomer perrinette – Welcome to the GoA family! Updates are every Monday and Friday, so I look forward to hearing from you again. I'm glad you've enjoyed my stories so far and I certainly enjoy hearing from you. I try to write Esdras and all the Dementors as just normal, every day types of people who are out there doing their jobs under very unusual circumstances. Their society is an extension of that, a proud people glad to be who and what they are, and very proud of their monarchy.

All the rest of y'all out there who haven't reviewed should consider it. I enjoy hearing from you, and your reviews and comments both help to make me a better writer and keep me motivated. So go ahead, press the blue button there at the bottom of the page and let me know what you think. I'd enjoy hearing it.

And as always, my standard warnings. _All text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 7 – Inconsolable Loss 

The voice was mortal and familiar. It sounded hopeful. He felt someone squeeze his hand. "I think he's coming around. Esdras, can you hear me?"

The Dementor illuminated his eyes and groaned softly. He looked around and took account of his surroundings. He was in St. Mungo's Hospital, surrounded by mortals and Dementors. Aaron Reaping floated at the foot of his bed, holding the Oracle. Dumbledore and Tonks were on the left side, and on his right were the Bells. The person holding his hand was Mrs. Bell. Esdras sobbed, his voice cracking. "I…I'm sorry. I tried to save her."

The matriarch smiled softly and stepped to the side, revealing the next bed over. Katie lay unconscious, glowing in his eyes with a full mortal soul. Mrs. Bell wiped a tear away and squeezed the Dementor's hand. "It's alright, Esdras. She's alive, and so are you. I couldn't ask for anything more."

Esdras looked in awe at his girlfriend. Before he could ask another question, the door to the ward opened to reveal Christine Reaping leading Dr. Transom and a mortal healer. The Dementor doctor let out a sigh of relief when he saw his patient was awake. "You gave us quite a scare there, majesty."

The Dementor king would not be denied. "How is Katie?"

The healer smiled and looked over to his patient. "She's in a deep coma. Physically, she's far better off than she should be, especially considering the kind of spell damage Madame Pomfrey said she had incurred. All we can do is wait for her to come out of it on her own. You're fine, too, but we'd like to keep you overnight for observation."

Esdras nodded. "I thought she died. I remember watching her die, then screaming, and then nothing… How did we get here?"

Here, the healer merely shook his head. "I have no idea. The people down in the reception room said that there was a brilliant flash of light, and then you appeared with her in your arms. You collapsed after that and you both were brought in for treatment. Doctor Transom here arrived a few moments later."

The king sighed and rubbed his face before looking to Aaron. "Tell me everything that happened. Don't leave anything out."

The Azkaban prime minister nodded and began the story. "Initial reports from Malachi in Hogsmeade indicate that the cause of Katie's cursing was a silver and opal necklace. Our current operating theory is that she was Imperiused to take the necklace into Hogwarts, but that the package broke along the way and she touched it by accident. We have no clue as to the perpetrator of the Imperius charm. Katie knows how to throw an Imperius, though, so it would have to be someone close to her in order to surprise her like that. Even then, it probably would have been incredibly difficult."

Tonks, at Dumbledore's side, nodded. "Aurors have the necklace in custody right now. We're already planning on working together with your spellcoders to determine exactly what curses were on it and, if possible, to remove them. Either way, it won't be hurting anyone again."

Aaron continued. "Here's where things get difficult, Esdras." He sighed and continued. "Katie did die. She was clinically dead for about thirty seconds. We believe that her death registered with the portion of your soul in her body. That triggered a transformation." He ran a nervous hand over his hood, and then spoke quickly before Esdras could ask any questions. "Esdras, you became Demnin. For about five minutes, you were the god of death. That back-triggered a transformation in Katie through the bond, and she became a physical manifestation of mortal Death. But apparently it wasn't time for Katie to die and she resurrected her body, then you reverted as well."

Esdras stared wide hooded at his friend, then laughed. "No, seriously, Aaron. What happened?"

Here, the tiny bundle of the Oracle shifted in Aaron's grip. She pulled away from the prime minister and floated down to hover over the king's chest. Angrily, she pulled her hood back. Esdras stared in shock; her eye sockets were no longer a blind white, but black. The Oracle spoke with a tearful voice. "He is serious, and this is what the mighty Demnin did to me." She cried, icy tears falling down her cheeks. "He took away my foresight and gave me sight. I will grow and age now. I am no longer an oracle. I am useless."

The king of Dementors sat up quickly and wrapped his arms around the tiny cloaking. She sobbed loudly and buried her head into his cloak. Esdras held her for a moment before he spoke firmly. "You are not useless, Kara Grim. No Dementor is useless."

Aaron spoke up from the foot of the bed where his wife had joined him. He had an arm around her waist and they both looked at the crying cloaking. "Christine and I will take her until a permanent home can be found. I'm certain the entire First Infantry will want to look after her. With what has happened to Admiral Grim, she doesn't really have any family left, and it would do her good to lead a normal life."

Esdras nodded and Kara shuffled in his embrace. She looked up into the hood of the king and spoke quietly. "The god Demnin did give me one final prophecy." She steeled herself and recited it carefully. "The path must now be trod alone and blind, and the Demnin king will travail to rise to the Demnin god. No foreshadows shall grace this path; only by his own merits will he proceed. And when the darkest hour is nigh, the Demnin king and god shall become one, the instrument of salvation, first of the lost child, then of the lost people."

The Dementor king sighed and fell back into his bed. He was quiet for a second before speaking. "We will ponder the meaning of this divine prophecy at a later time. For the moment, I think we would do best to stabilize the situation and prepare for the days to come." He turned again to look at his unconscious love. "You say you have no idea how long it will take for Katie to wake up?"

The healer shook his head. "It could be days, it could be months. There's no way to know."

Dumbledore saw where this was going and looked down to the king, worry written all over his wizened face. "Esdras, Katie's Patronus is the main food source of New Demnin. With Katie unconscious…"

Esdras interrupted the headmaster, his voice steely cold. "I know. Without Katie, it will be all but impossible to feed my people."

* * *

The night shift at St. Mungo's was hard at work, and the lights in the wards had been turned down low so that the patients could get their much needed sleep. In the ward he now occupied, Esdras had moved his bed so that it was beside Katie's. He held her hand in his and spoke to her, begging her to come out of her coma. When his voice finally gave out, he lay quietly beside her, hoping that she could find her way back by the feel of his hand in hers. 

Around three in the morning his voice returned, and, for lack of anything better, he began praying to Cerah, the Azkaban goddess of medicine. There was a form to such prayers, but Esdras opted for a more free form appeal. "_Ancient Cerah, guardian of vitality, born before us of the shroud of Demnin, look after this mortal child and guide her back to our transitory plane. I pray to you in the name of Demnin the mighty, whom I seem to be…_"

Again, the young Dementor king fell silent, this time for lack of anything better to say. Time passed with inexorable slowness in the ward, and Esdras had no mind for sleep. He wanted to be awake if Katie woke during the night. It was some time later when the door opened to reveal a tall, cloaked figure. Dr. Transom glided in slowly and took the seat that was beside the king's bed. "_You should get some sleep, young prince._"

Esdras laughed despite himself. He turned to face his doctor, the one who had brought him into the world. "_Three hundred fifteen years and a coronation later and you still call me young prince?_"

The doctor inclined his hood. "_Old habits die hard, Majesty._"

The king again laughed softly. "_Stick with young prince. It is comforting._"

Michaelis Transom nodded. "_As you wish, young prince._" He was quiet in the darkness for a while before he spoke again. "_I have something to tell you that I didn't want the others to know about. I didn't know if you would want this to become common knowledge._"

Esdras looked up. "_Go on._"

The doctor sighed and drew his wand. Overtop of the hospital bed, he cast a specialized triage charm, one designed specifically to determine the status of the supersolenoid organ. Despite Esdras' earlier diagnosis of being perfectly healthy, there were small spots of warning yellow on the uniform green display. Transom enlarged one of the yellow spots and magnified it to the cellular level. There were two types of cells distinctly visible. "_It seems that your transformation into a divine being did not leave you completely unscathed. These cells here are normal supersolenoid cells._"

The bedridden Dementor nodded, he was familiar with what supersolenoid cells looked like, and their silver glow was a comfort to him. He looked at the other cells, which glowed with a platinum hue. "_And the other ones?_"

Transom shook his head. "_Without access to the ancient medical texts we brought with us from Azkaban, I can't be sure. But given what has happened today, I'm prepared to venture a guess. I believe that these are residual metasolenoid cells, cells of the divine metasolenoid organ. They are left over from your time as Demnin. If they are, they will be able to produce ichor on their own without exposure to soul or Patronus energy. I want to do further tests once we get back to New Demnin to make sure, and to see if they are spreading._"

Esdras stared at the triage spell for a long time; the platinum cells glowed happily, churning out ichor. Ichor, the precious liquid that was the lifeblood of his people. He lay back in his bed and stared at the ceiling. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. "_How long do we have until we have to worry about starvation among the populace?_"

The doctor shrugged slowly. "_Aaron returned to New Demnin to discuss the matter with Admiral Kirin. He said that he would bring a report on status of the Strategic Ichor Reserve when he arrived tomorrow._" He gestured to the comatose Katie. "_But I personally think we will be fine for a while. Katie had an entire month to help us create the reserve. I know for a fact that she would occasionally cast two or more Patroni a day, that's over a million soul equivalents each day._"

The king nodded and turned his head to face the comatose mortal. He squeezed her hand gently. "_I know, and we have much to thank her for. I just hope she will wake up in time for us to be able to give her thanks._"

* * *

True to the healer's word, Esdras was discharged the following day. The Bells had shown up and gave him hugs, telling him that Katie would be fine and reminding him that he had a duty to his kingdom as well as to his Katie. The Dementor king, in return, swore a full infantry division to protect her and that he would visit her every day. So, with heavy heart, the king of Azkaban signed the necessary check out forms and left the hospital to return to Hogwarts. 

Esdras' return to Hogwarts was subdued, and it soon became apparent that most of his friends were walking on eggshells around him, whether out of fear of upsetting him or fear of his terrible transformation he would never know. Only those closest to him were totally unafraid. And after the Dementor had disappeared halfway through the day, only the bravest went searching for him.

In this way did Ginny Weasley find herself in front of the door to the Room of Requirement. She stepped inside and immediately found herself in a dark chamber, illuminated by torches and glowing green stones which she recognized to be fire emeralds. Even without being able to see the ceiling she could tell that the chamber was expansive. She walked slowly through the room until she came to an ornately carved doorway. This she opened to reveal another chamber, larger and better lit than the first. Ginny gasped as she entered, for the room was filled with immense statues of the Azkaban gods, each one more than a hundred feet tall. The chamber was so tall that it made her dizzy to look to the ceiling. She called out into the cavernous space. "_Esdras?_"

The voice came from above her. "_I am here, Ginevra mashavades Weasley._"

The mortal smiled. "_I was worried about you._"

Esdras appeared at the waist of one of the statues, a Dementress divinity, and looked curiously down. "_Your Azkabaaner has improved dramatically._"

The redhead scoffed. "_I'm fluent now, thank you very much. Hermione helped me a lot over the summer. It's not that hard when you put your mind to it._"

The Dementor king lowered himself to ground level and took human form. "_Once again, you prove my theory that you are the most dangerous of the Weasley children._"

Ginny smiled. "_I'll take that as a compliment._" She looked around the cavernous room and let out a low whistle. "_So, where are we?_"

Esdras smiled. "_This is a recreation of the North Mountain Pantheon. I wanted a place where I could pray to the gods in private. This is what I got._"

The mortal looked around and nodded. "_It's very impressive. But Katie is mortal, shouldn't you be praying to the mortal God?_"

The Dementor laughed softly. "_I did that a few hours ago. I got a very impressive looking cathedral. I didn't even know where to start, so I just prayed._" His laughter grew in volume and took on an almost riotous quality before fading away into a soft sob. "_I prayed and I prayed and no one answered._"

Ginny put her arms around Esdras and hugged him tightly. "_The gods have not abandoned you, especially not now when you're going through your greatest trial, when you're rising up to stand as one of them._" She smiled at his shocked expression. "_I was there. My Patronus might not be as strong as Harry's or Dumbledore's, but I helped as best I could._"

Esdras nodded, taking her hands in his and squeezing softly. His voice was heartfelt. "_Then I am in your debt, as I am to many of my friends. Any request you may make of me, Azkaban herself will answer and fulfill._"

The redhead nodded and put an arm around his waist. "_Come on, it's dinner time and I figured that you wouldn't eat anything if you weren't found. I think Katie once called it 'going guard' on her._"

The Dementor laughed as they walked through the imitation caverns and out into the halls of Hogwarts. "_I haven't done that in a while, thank you very much._" He lifted the mortal onto his shoulders and floated quickly down the hall before going into freefall in the stairwell. When he finally placed his feet firmly on the ground and let Ginny down, he squeezed her hand softly. "Thank you, Ginevra."

She narrowed her eyes at the use of her full given name but still smiled softly. "Anytime."

The pair walked into the Great Hall and immediately stopped in horror. At the Slytherin table, plain for all to see, Draco Malfoy was standing, arms outspread, making a high pitched, falsetto scream. Both Ginny and Esdras knew what it was supposed to be, a representation of Katie in her spell damaged state. Before the redhead could react, Esdras had cast his animagus form aside and roared with fury. His heavily accented mortal voice echoed through the hall. "Death to you, Malfoy!"

No one was fast enough to react. Esdras shot through the air with full afterburners and grabbed Malfoy, slamming him onto the table and clearing plates, silverware, and serving dishes off half the table as they skidded to a halt. They finally came to rest near a pitcher of pumpkin juice, which promptly froze solid as Esdras clamped his mouth overtop of the blonde Slytherin's. Candles extinguished and bitter cold filled the room as the other Slytherins at the table began screaming in fear. At the High Table, Dumbledore quickly drew his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

The shining Patronus flew forth, but instead of backing away, Esdras actively attacked it. He grabbed the phoenix by the wings and engaged his afterburners again. Eight powerful jets of ichor plasma flew out, processing the Patronus' energy and scorching the table below him, setting fire to the mortal's robes. Still locked in the Kiss, Esdras felt the soul pull completely from Malfoy's body and held it in his mouth before kicking off the table and flying away from the Patronus. Once he was clear of the bird, he spat out the soul and held the glowing crystal in his outstretched hand. He spoke only to Dumbledore. "You saw what he was doing, how he mocked her! He does not deserve this! Let me destroy him now!"

Panic reigned in the hall below him, but Esdras only paid attention to Dumbledore. The wizened wizard regarded him calmly as he stepped out from behind the table and walked towards him. "You are angry, Esdras, and I understand. You have every right to be, his actions were not in the best of taste."

Esdras screamed in fury. "He mocked the infirm! Under Azkaban Law, what he did is grounds for him to be put to death!"

Dumbledore remained calm. "But he is not an Azkaban citizen; you cannot hold him to the same laws. Besides, the King of Dementors is a merciful king. Do not forget the broken sword you wear at your waist."

The reference to the Sword of Mercy was not lost on Esdras, and, with a growl, he released the glowing crystal. He stared icily at Dumbledore as the crystal found its way back to its body and Malfoy sat up. "By the hand of the King of Azkaban, mercy is thusly granted. But know this; I shall exact a terrible vengeance upon this mortal. I will wash my hands in his blood and spit upon his grave." He took mortal form again and turned to face the terrified Draco, a maniac gleam in his glowing eyes. "And have no doubt, mortal. I will bring you to your grave."


	8. Old Enemies

Once again it's Monday, so that means it's time for another chapter! This time, all that Umbridge bashing in the last book comes back around to bite our Dementor heroes in the cloak.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – Admiral Grim was the Oracle's many-great grand nephew; they were both born of the noble house of Grim (granted one long before the other). And Ginny is one of my favorite characters, too, and she'll be very prominent in this book. Hopefully, this chapter will start to explain exactly what is happening to Esdras. But worry not, all will be revealed in time.

To the wonderful perrinette – Worry not. You will see that Esdras and his kingdom are well prepared. Dementors are quite clever, after all. And you are correct, Katie is ill for quite some time.

To the ever faithful KRP – Sadly, I must leave all questions about Katie's nature as Death for a later time, but know that all things will be answered. I tried to make Death in mortal form conform to mythological expectations (cloak, hourglass, scythe) but I also wanted her to be stylish (hence the sexy dress), and with tens of thousands of years of knowledge and foresight, it's not surprising Death sounded like Katie under the Oracle's influence. And as for the Oracle knowing English, well, she _is_ the Oracle after all…

To the always entertaining Buffalo1 – I don't know, the events last chapter happened so fast, I wouldn't be surprised if Snape didn't have time to open his mouth before the whole scene had played out. Of course, do you really want to stick up for someone who has just been handed a death sentence by a Dementor?

To our newcomer Maelys – Welcome to the GoA family! Thank you for reviewing my previous stories. As you've probably figured out by now, updates are every Monday and Friday, so I look forward to hearing from you again. And thank you for the great compliment. I try to write my stories so that the action plays out just like you said. Hearing it from you means a lot to me.

To the always lovely, often hidden NaginiFay – I was wondering where you had disappeared to! I doubt Esdras' actions will discourage him so much as the "extracurricular activities" Draco will be undertaking for the rest of the year. But, you never know.

And to the ever faithful Estel A Duath – o.O Smoochie poo? The Dementor's Kiss is hardly a smoochie poo…let alone a l'il one. Still, that definitely made me laugh. Esdras, too.

For all the rest of y'all out there who haven't reviewed, you should! I enjoy hearing from you and your reviews help to make me a better writer. Plus, I like knowing what my constituents think about the story so far. So go ahead, press the little blue button at the bottom.

And as usual, I have to say what you expect me to say. _Text in italics is in Azkabaaner_, and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 8 – Old Enemies 

The maniac gleam had not ebbed from Esdras' glowing green eyes by the end of dinner. Once again, it became apparent that only those closest to the Dementor king were able to handle his volatile mood, for, at the Ravenclaw table, he was surrounded by his Quidditch teammates and Luna. The airy blonde was happily going on and on about the articles in next month's Quibbler and Esdras was only half listening. He had a sneaking suspicion that Luna knew this; the blonde girl always knew more than she let on.

After the meal had ended, Esdras quickly made his excuses and made for the door. He was stopped, however, by an anxious looking Harry Potter. The mortal pulled him aside and began speaking quickly. "Esdras, I think Malfoy was behind the attack on Katie."

Esdras sighed and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Harry, just because he was insulting her infirmity doesn't mean he was the one who caused it."

Harry shook his head. "No, you don't understand. This summer I saw him in Madame Malkin's. He acted like his arm was hurting, like he had gotten the Dark Mark tattooed on. Then he went to a shop on Knockturn Alley and wanted something to be held for him."

The Dementor arched an eye at him and then glared. "Interesting evidence to be sure, Harry, but it is hardly conclusive. Besides, I'm pretty much powerless to do anything against Malfoy. You saw what happened in there and heard what Dumbledore said. Malfoy is a mortal, so I can't judge him by Azkaban Law. Even if I did, I would need conclusive proof before I would be able to act. If what you say is true, you need to bring this up with Dumbledore. While he is here, he is under Hogwarts jurisdiction. All I can do is intimidate him."

By this time, they were joined by Ron and a breathless Hermione. The bushy haired mortal scolded Harry. "Harry, you know you don't have any proof about Malfoy. You can't rush into these things…"

Esdras raised a hand and cut Hermione off. He regarded the three mortals silently for a moment before speaking. "Do what you must, Harry. My path is already set in regards to Malfoy."

The Dementor silently turned and floated out the castle door. He took off across the lake to New Demnin. The stiff breeze churned the water into fast moving ripples, seeming to echo the king's mood. As he approached the main entrance to the town, the guards saluted him sharply, which he calmly returned before gliding into the dark chasm and down into the main body of the Dementor city. It was a quick float to the royal residence, and soon, Esdras was engaged in a meeting with his top advisors.

Esdras looked around at the hoods that surrounded him. All were close friends who had been with him from the start of this adventure, Aaron, Malachi, Stephanie, Kira, Michaelis, Veras, and Micah. None seemed to be bearers of good news. Sighing softly, the Dementor king turned to his Prime Minister. "_Well, Aaron, how is the status of the Strategic Ichor Reserve?_"

Aaron looked up from the pile of parchment in front of him and shrugged. "_Not bad, for now. Katie did more than any of us could ask of her. If we ration carefully and don't have to deal with casualties requiring excessive amounts of ichor to heal, we can last for three months on it._"

Esdras knew his friend well enough to tell that there was something else weighing heavily on his mind. He turned his full attention to him. "_What else, Aaron?_"

The Prime Minister wordlessly slid a sheet of parchment across the table. As Esdras picked it up, he could immediately see the seal of the Ministry of Magic. He scanned the document as Aaron summarized it. "_The Ministry knows the situation we're in. Even though we just negotiated a new treaty with them, they'd like to renegotiate with us in order to help._" The last word was stressed sarcastically. "_Naturally, they have some demands…_"

The king laughed harshly as he scanned the document. "_Abandon New Demnin and set up a new settlement in the Shetland Islands or render Azkaban capable for Dementor population again. They must be joking. And these figures they've provided, it's not nearly enough soul equivalents for us to survive on._" He scanned down to see who had written the document. "_Of course, I would expect nothing less from Umbridge._"

Aaron nodded. "_True, but they've got us by the shroud and they know it. Nevertheless, we have three months to work on negotiating new terms, if that is what you intend to do, majesty._"

Esdras shook his head. "_It's still too soon to decide. I would like to wait a month before entering into new negotiations. In the meantime, prepare as best you can for them in the event that we do have to negotiate. I want reasonable terms._" As the Prime Minister nodded, Esdras scanned the rest of his assembled staff. "_Is there any good news?_"

Kira shrugged. "_We have working prototypes of all fifteen Quicksilver Projects now. We're already mass producing a select few in the event the renegades launch an attack on the city. Given our current situation, I've decided to use an Assault cloak base for them so they'll be suitable for military use._"

The king nodded and sounded pleased. "_Excellent work, Admiral. I want you to begin concentrating on mass producing the Stasis cloak and scale down on the production of the others. I want to be able to put our people into suspended animation in the event that our ichor supply runs out. Better to be in stasis than hungry and dying._"

The admiral nodded sharply. "_Yes, Majesty._"

Finally, Esdras turned to Dr. Transom. "_I trust everyone here. You may tell them the results of the tests._"

The doctor nodded and waved his wand, calling forth a diagram that floated in the center of the table. "_It is as we feared. The abnormal cells in your supersolenoid are metasolenoid cells, and they are replacing your supersolenoid cells._" There was a general gasp of shock at this announcement and the doctor continued. "_I ran all the tests I could, but I keep getting conflicting results. One says that the cells are growing, but another says their growth rate is zero. The only guess I can make is that they will only grow when you are in your divine form._"

Aaron's hood shot up in shock. "_And what happens when he has grown a complete metasolenoid organ?_"

Michaelis' voice was unnaturally calm. "_Esdras will become a god, take his place as Demnin, and bring about the Third Age of Azkaban. The gods of Azkaban will again float upon the earth and Demnin shall take control of the Wellspring of Ages._"

Malachi let out a low whistle. "_The Wellspring of Ages, an unlimited source of power, accessible only by the gods. Capable of resurrecting the dead and restoring entire armies from the dust. It would certainly be a solution to our energy crisis._"

The king, who had been silent throughout this exchange, sighed and rubbed his temples. When he finally spoke, he recited the words that the Oracle had spoken to him on that fateful day. "_She shall find the barrier, and yet shall she live. And through this miracle, she shall bring forth a miracle of the highest order to us Dementors._" He sighed. "_You have to admit, the Oracle certainly knows how to follow through on her prophecy._"

Aaron laughed wryly. "_That's putting it mildly._"

Esdras shrugged. "_Well, I don't think we'll have a problem. We've already seen that I will only take this divine form if either I or Katie dies. I think we should be safe for the moment._"

Dr. Transom sighed, and then spoke hesitantly. "_I…don't believe that to be the case anymore, majesty. You see, when you were Demnin, you said that this was only the beginning. Now that you have accessed the divine form, I believe that you will continue to have access to it through these metasolenoid cells._" His voice took on a hopeless quality. "_And worse still, we don't know what will trigger it. Magic, emotions, physical injury, it could be anything. All we know is that it must be of your own volition._"

The king of Dementors rubbed his hands over his face and groaned. "_Lovely._" After a few seconds, he shook his head and looked to the doctor. "_Well, continue running whatever tests you see fit. If you need anything from Azkaban, let me know and I will get it for you. I am the only one physically able to exist on the island until I remove the curse from it._" He cast his hood around the table one last time. "_If there's nothing else, I believe we can adjourn for the evening._"

* * *

True to his word, Esdras visited St. Mungo's every day to visit Katie. The first day, he brought her the little plush Dementor she had fallen in love with. However, it had one modification from when Katie had originally gotten it. The plush toy now wore a black cloak with a platinum edge to it, a perfect, fleecy replica of a royal cloak. 

That had been weeks ago.

The Dementor smiled happily as he brushed her hair and made sure that the linens were just right. He kept his voice light and made idle chitchat about the Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match that had occurred the day before. "Well, Harry pretended to use the Felix Felicis potion that he got from Slughorn on Ron and that gave him a much needed boost of confidence, so he did fine. Hermione's not talking to Ron, though, but that's because he was a git about his keeper prowess being all his own. And you'd be proud of Ginny; she did a lovely job as chaser. She's a good seeker, but an even better chaser. I think you two would work well together. Dean ended up taking your place in the match and he's decent, but let's face it, he's not you. Anyway, Harry ended up trouncing Malfoy like always and you guys won handily. It was a wonderful match; the only thing missing was you."

A soft cough came from behind him. Aaron was waiting at the doorway of the ward. "We need to get going, Esdras. Scrimgeour will be waiting for us."

The king nodded and regarded the stilled form of his love. He leaned in and softly kissed her before whispering into her ear. "Please wake up. I don't know how much longer I can stand this." He sighed sadly and stood up, speaking louder with an audible quiver in his voice. "I'll be by tomorrow, love. Don't sleep in."

He moved from her bedside and floated calmly out into the hall. The pair of Dementors glided to the stairwell and down. Aaron remained silent for a long while, but finally spoke quietly. "She's going to be fine, Esdras. She's too strong not to be."

Esdras nodded to his friend and gave a shuddering sigh. "I know, Aaron." He looked like he wanted to say more, but finally just shook his head and changed the subject. "What should we expect from the Ministry?"

Aaron, sensitive to his friend's decision, switched to his role as Prime Minister. "They're going to attempt to push their terms on us and will probably give us very little room to maneuver. They know we're living on borrowed time with our ichor reserve, so they know they have all the time in the world."

The Dementor king nodded as they approached the hospital's Apparition Point. "Very well, then. Let's do it."

* * *

Esdras narrowed his hood at the Minister of Magic. "These vulture tactics are becoming tiresome, Rufus. I'm really beginning to wonder who the better species is here. You're just waiting for us to come begging for your assistance. You're not even willing to help us." 

Rufus Scrimgeour shook his head. "Please, Esdras, there's no reason to hurl insults. We're all friends here."

Aaron huffed indignantly. "If this is how you treat friends, I would hate to be your enemy."

The Minister laughed unconvincingly and slid a sheet of parchment over the table. "We've come up with a new set of terms. I just thought I'd run them by you to let you know what we were thinking. We know things are going to be getting bad soon, so the sooner we can come to an agreement, the less you'll have to worry about your people."

The two Dementors were silent as they read the offered document. Slowly their hoods drew down in anger. Finally, Aaron brought his fist down on the desk hard enough to break it in half. He did not look at all apologetic. "Absolutely not! Those terms are even more unreasonable than your original offer. We've made it know that there's no possible way that our society can survive on less than ten million soul equivalents a week."

On the other side of the negotiation table, Rufus Scrimgeour calmly took his wand out and cast a quick Reparo charm on the table. He gathered up his papers and looked calmly to the Dementors. "That's not what Miss Umbridge has told me. She believes that five million is a more than reasonable amount."

Esdras snarled and glared at the mortal in question. "Umbridge doesn't know the first thing about Dementor needs. I must insist that you find someone better versed in the basics of our kind."

The Minister made a dismissive gesture. "Dolores Umbridge has proven herself adept at dealing with your kind in the past. If anything, it is Dementors that have proven to be unable to deal with mortals."

Aaron laughed. "Umbridge? Adept with Dementors? You have to be kidding me. The moment she had authority at Hogwarts, she kicked Esdras out simply because he was a Dementor."

Esdras nodded. "And you dare say that we're unable to deal with mortals? We've been living next door to them for years now and there have been no problems whatsoever. Not to mention the fact that Hogsmeade is the safest it's ever been. And have you forgotten the fact that I've been dating a mortal for over three years now? I doubt we'd have lasted this long together if I were unable to deal with mortals."

From her safe place behind the Minister, Umbridge scoffed. "Well, perhaps you're only able to deal with mortals like her."

Silence fell over the Azkaban half of the table. Esdras slowly lowered his hood and rose, leaning over the table and staring with empty eye sockets at the grey haired witch. His accent made the words he spoke a gritty whisper. "And exactly what is that supposed to mean?"

Scrimgeour, realizing a very dangerous line had been crossed, rose as well. "I don't think anything untoward was meant by that, King Esdras. I'm sure Dolores will agree, won't you?"

Esdras didn't let the toad have a chance. With an unholy roar he brought his fists down, reducing the table to splinters. Aaron put a restraining arm around the king and pulled him back. "_Esdras, this is not the time. Think diplomatically. You can get revenge later if you have to, but for now we have to stay friendly with the mortals._" He quickly turned his attention to the mortal Minister while struggling to drag his friend from the room. "This meeting is over, we'll be in touch."

* * *

It was surprising to see anyone other than Professor Sprout or Neville Longbottom in the greenhouses outside of Herbology class. The person in Greenhouse 7 was too tall to be either, which is why Ginny opened the door to check on whoever was inside. The lone occupant, tending to the vast tables of Azkaban Green Mint seedlings, was Esdras. Judging by the expression he wore, the mortal could tell that the King of Azkaban was furious. 

She made sure to close the door loudly in order to announce her presence. Sure enough, the Dementor tensed, but he didn't turn around. "Unless you happen to have a satchel containing a couple million soul equivalents, I would advise you to turn around right now."

Ginny sighed and stepped forward anyway. "I gather things didn't go well with the Minister?"

Esdras tensed, crushing the wooden handle of the trowel he was holding. He repaired it quickly, and then turned to face the redheaded girl. "I believe that would be the understatement of the year. He's relying on Umbridge as an aide during these negotiations."

The mortal groaned. "Let me guess, she's out for revenge?"

The Dementor growled. "That's putting it mildly. She and everyone else at the Ministry are so hell bent on my kind being an evil, unholy terror that they can't seem to see past the fact that there hasn't been a single attack since we've founded New Demnin. And ask anyone in Hogsmeade, I don't know what state that town would be in if it weren't for us. The people see us as guardians. They want us to stay."

Ginny smiled. "You've gotten what you've always wanted, then. People finally have seen the truth. Even if it's just this one town, your kind has become an accepted part of society."

Esdras nodded. "Oh, I know, and don't think I'm not happy with this." He placed his hands down on the gardening table and stared at the weathered wood. "I'm scared, Ginevra. I've fulfilled the Oracle's greatest prophecy; I've restored the Azkaban kingdom. Granted it's not a perfect restoration, we're still in civil war, but that won't last forever. But we can neither survive nor be victorious if we are weakened from the inside out. We need ichor, and there is no source that we can use without creating pain for the very people who we want to trust us the most."

The mortal slowly approached behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You'll find a way, Esdras. You've proven yourself to be a wise and resourceful king and admiral. You wouldn't be where you are now if you weren't."

The Dementor sighed and turned, his glowing green eyes mournful. "I haven't done it alone. I've had a lot of help. Aaron, Malachi, Michaelis, Kira, Stephanie, Katie…" He quickly pulled his hood up, but not before Ginny caught sight of icy tears. "Gods, I miss her so much."

Ginny put her arms around her hooded friend and hugged tightly. "You've got more friends than you think. I'll talk to Harry and see if he'll agree to teach more of us how to cast a Patronus. It might not be much, but it'll be something."

Esdras nodded and returned the hug. They didn't break away when they heard the door open, only when they heard the voice. "Ginny, there you are. What are you doing?"

The pair looked up to see a disturbingly jealous looking Dean Thomas. The redhead huffed. "If you must know, I'm talking with Esdras."

The mortal cast a suspicious eye towards the two, but finally nodded. "Well, a bunch of us are going to talk a walk down by the lake. Do you want to come?"

Ginny looked over to Esdras, who simply nodded. "_Go on, I'll be fine. Besides, I wouldn't want to make trouble for you._"

The redhead smiled and shook her head. "_Don't be ridiculous._" She walked back across the greenhouse and Dean wrapped an arm around her. Ginny smiled, but Esdras thought he saw a brief flash of emotion in her eyes. As quickly as it came, it went, and she waved to the Dementor. "_You're no trouble at all._"

Esdras curiously watched the pair as they walked towards the lake. They were laughing and chatting happily, but the Dementor was sure of one thing. The emotion he had seen in Ginny's eyes was not affection.


	9. Breakdown

Friday again? Where has all the time gone? Oh well, at least it's time for another chapter. This time, we see that even Dementors have limits…

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the always lovely NaginiFay – Oh don't worry. I don't mind hit and miss reviewing. I just miss you, that's all.

To the ever faithful KRP – One thing I like about Ginny is that she's not one that handles fools well. So between Esdras and Dean, I'll let you decide who the fool is. Katie is still under, and I wish it were as easy as everyone casting a Patronus but the disparity between power is just too great. Katie can produce one worth half a million soul equivalents, while Harry and Dumbledore are down at one thousand and everyone else is less than one hundred. But help is on the way. And threatening the Ministry is a very big no. If one thing has remained constant, it is that Esdras wants mortals to trust Dementors. Even threatening them would be against his policies. The fear of Esdras' cells changing is that when he grows a complete metasolenoid, he will become a god. Not just any god, but the death god. This is a very scary prospect, obviously. Besides, a supersolenoid only produces ichor for its Dementor; likewise will a metasolenoid only produce ichor for its divinity. And Esdras will be very busy this year, I've made sure of that…

To the charming perrinette – I like writing scenes with Esdras and Katie, as cliché as it sounds and even with all the problems that get thrown in their path, I like to think that they are as close to a perfect couple as you can get. Anything with Umbridge is bound to be interesting. Both Scrimgeour and she should be thankful she's dealing with such long lived creatures; otherwise Esdras and Aaron would not be as patient. And I'll clear up the issues with Dean and Ginny within the next few chapters.

To the ever faithful Snood – I told you that Ginny would be featured prominently in the book. I love writing stuff for her. Dementors were fed on Azkaban both by the prisoners and by the aurors guarding (cast Patroni and whatever the Dementors could pull off by accident). Also remember that during those days, they were not well fed, which is one of the many issues that led to the unrest of the last few books and the current civil war. Now, even with Katie absent and everyone rationing supplies, they're still better off than they were. I'm rather glad I could put the toad in; she's always fun to mess with. Having Esdras listen to Harry is tricky, and I'll have more about that in later chapters. I will say that there are a series of factors that will affect Esdras' ability to aid Harry, the most prominent of which are Azkaban Law (to be explained later) and the ongoing war. You'll see where I'm taking it, I promise.

To all the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed, please do! I enjoy hearing from you and like knowing what others think of my work. So please, press the blue button at the bottom and drop me a line. I'm interested to hear what you think.

A note for everyone, Azkaban calendar year Treaty 969 corresponds to mortal year AD 1941.

And as usual, I offer my standard warning. _Text in italics is in Azkabaaner_, and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 9 – Breakdown 

By late November, a mere month after Ginny had promised to talk to Harry about teaching the Patronus charm to more people, the Patronus Project had taken flight. Billed as the second iteration of the DA, it had started as a small, ragtag group intent on either learning how to cast a Patronus, or improving their existing one. Membership grew rapidly once word spread about how the Dementors that were aided by their efforts were returning the favor in their own way. With their centuries of experience and knowledge, the Dementors were more than happy to help with a History of Magic essay or explain a subtle nuance in Potions or Arithmancy.

The agreement was mutually beneficial to everyone. The drain on the Strategic Ichor Reserve was being limited and homework and quiz scores in classes of all grades and subjects were increasing. Esdras looked on happily as a shining silver fish swam through the air before him. Already, today's batch of Patroni had met the quota of soul equivalents, but no one was stopping.

To the king's right, Aaron laughed. "_You know, you would think that with all the strange creatures Luna is partial to, her Patronus would be more unusual._"

Following his friend's pointed finger, Esdras looked at the silver creature with an arched hood. Luna's Patronus was a sprightly, glowing silver rabbit. She guided the spectral animal to where the nearby Dementors fed. Eventually, Esdras just shrugged and shook his hood. "_You can never predict Luna._"

Aaron shrugged his shoulders and picked up a full carboy of ichor. "_One of her more endearing qualities, I suppose._"

The king nodded and looked at the rows of glowing bottles. "_How much are we up to?_"

The Prime Minister looked around and did a quick mental calculation. "_This should be nearly seventy thousand soul equivalents this week, and it's only Thursday. We've still got three more harvesting days and should be well over one hundred thousand._"

Esdras picked up his own, full carboy and carried it along with Aaron to the rows of full containers. As they floated along, they were joined by Harry and Ginny, both smiling happily. The scarred mortal looked hopeful. "Well, how's it going?"

Ginny looked around and smirked triumphantly. "I told you people would be willing to help you."

The King of Azkaban nodded and turned to face the pair. "If our projections are correct, we've established a weekly supply of at least one hundred thousand soul equivalents a week. That will extend our reserves by at least another month. You've bought us more time than we expected. I will see to it that you two receive the Order of Annedd for your services to the kingdom."

Harry shook his head. "No, Esdras, no special treatment. We're perfectly happy to help you. You and your troops have helped us out more than enough times. Now it's time for us to return the favor."

Esdras nodded happily and sat his carboy down next to Aaron's. When the last of the Patroni had died away, he took his mortal form and joined his fellow Dementors as they gathered around and started putting on cloaks with a clear inner lining. When he turned to face the mortals again, his eyes were glowing orange. Ginny stared in amazement. "I don't understand why you just don't store the ichor in the bottles."

Aaron finished securing his cloak and turned. "The Tanker cloaks are easier to transport and store than the crystal carboys. They're also able to hold more ichor. Each cloak can hold five thousand soul equivalents while each carboy can only hold five hundred."

Nodding wordlessly in understanding, the mortals watched as the Dementors floated low over the bottles. The silvery liquid defied gravity as it flowed upwards to the bottom of the cloak where it was absorbed by the fabric. When Esdras floated back to them, the lining of the cloak now glowed bright silver as the stored ichor flickered inside. He turned his glowing orange eyes to Aaron. "Take these back and store them with the rest. We'll meet back here tomorrow and do it all over again."

Aaron saluted sharply and waited for Esdras to remove the Tanker cloak and hand it to him. When he faced his mortal friends again, his eyes held their normal green glow. "Well, shall we get dinner?"

* * *

The charming little origami crane soared happily through the air and landed gently beside Esdras' plate. He peered curiously at it for a second before taking it in his hand. The careful folds unfolded magically to reveal a note in a familiar, looping cursive. Cho looked to her friend and gestured to the parchment. "What's all that then?" 

Esdras shrugged. "Dumbledore wants to meet with me after dinner. Probably something business related. I bet he wants to know how the Patronus Project is working out for us."

She nodded happily and looked around the table to take in the other members of the Quidditch team. "Does everyone feel confident for the game tomorrow?"

Six heads nodded the affirmative, but Roger paused and regarded Esdras calmly for a second before speaking carefully…very carefully. "Esdras, I can't think of a way to make this question sound better, so I'll just ask it. How are you going to deal with Malfoy tomorrow?"

The Dementor paused, a whole slice of chocolate cake in his mouth. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment before replying calmly. "I'm not going to kill him, if that's what you're worried about. I've decided that my qualm with him is a personal matter buried in the deepest principles of Azkaban law and Dementor conduct. There will be a time to fulfill my promise, but here and now is not it."

Roger nodded calmly and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well, that's good to know. Then tell me what your plans are for Crabbe and Goyle."

The impromptu strategy session over dessert went well. Ravenclaw considered them to be their greatest triumph. Instead of planning meetings at a set time and expecting everyone to be in the right mood, the blue robed team would have many smaller meetings when one member of the team or another would have a brainstorm. These usually led to such innovative plans that only the freakish Gryffindor luck kept them from winning those particular matches.

As they left the table, Esdras waved goodbye to his friends and glided off towards the Headmaster's office. He waited by the gargoyle, floating upside down, and only righted himself when Dumbledore arrived, accompanied by Professors Flitwick and Snape. The Dementor arched an eyebrow in surprise but nevertheless followed the three up the stairs.

Once they were all safely ensconced in warm, soft chairs in the comfortable office, Dumbledore spoke. "Well, Esdras, you have an important Quidditch match tomorrow, don't you?"

Esdras nodded slowly, and suddenly it all clicked. Snape, head of Slytherin, and Flitwick, head of Ravenclaw. The Dementor laughed softly. "No one will die, if that's what you're worried about. You have my word."

Flitwick sighed a sigh of relief, pleased that Esdras had both identified the cause of the meeting and that he was taking it well. He smiled up at the towering figure. "You can certainly understand our worry, though. With the recent development of your…shall we say…new form and the threat you made to Mister Malfoy, we were rather concerned."

The Dementor nodded and gave his head of house a reassuring smile. However, Snape was not so easily placated. "Headmaster, I would request that Mister Demnin sit out this match. There's no telling exactly what he's capable of doing, and we know from the events of last year that he is readily able and willing to use Azkaban Law to justify what he feels is the right course of action in a given situation."

Esdras scoffed. "I didn't use Azkaban Law against Umbridge, I used the Treaty of Edinburgh, a document that mortals signed and agreed to. But if it makes you feel better, I'll be more than happy to make whatever vow or oath you like that I will play to within the exact letter of the Quidditch rulebook."

Dumbledore nodded wisely. "Will that be agreeable, Severus? The rules of Quidditch are quite explicit that the taking of a life is to be avoided at all costs."

Snape glared at the Dementor. "I don't know if it's a good idea to merely take him at his word."

The King of Azkaban rose and took his native form. In his right hand, he held the Glaive of Silence. He spoke carefully. "I swear by the holy and divine weapon of my forefather Demnin, the god of death. I will take no life and follow the letter and mark of the law in the match to be played tomorrow. I swear this in the name of Azkaban and my forefathers, god and kings."

The Defense professor did not look appeased. "Still, it's just your word."

Esdras shook his head. "The Glaive will register it as a magically binding promise. And since the Glaive is a part of me, I am physically incapable of breaking my promise now."

Snape looked to Dumbledore who nodded soberly. "He speaks the truth, Severus."

The black haired mortal merely glared at the Dementor, then looked away. "Very well."

* * *

The night shift at the New Demnin Regional Command Bunker was usually very light, and this night was no exception. The mortal Esdras, fresh from Hogwarts, glided calmly through checkpoint after checkpoint as he proceeded deeper into the underground base. The presence of the king would probably be the only bit of excitement that the guards stuck on duty for the graveyard shift would have all night. He entered the research sector of the base and finally, he found himself before a sturdy titanium door marked "_Quicksilver Project Research and Development_". 

The Dementor king tapped his wand against the door and a calm voice issued forth. "_You are attempting to enter a Level Twenty Five Secure Area. Please identify yourself._"

Esdras spoke clearly. "_Demnin, Esdras Tarsus. Flag Admiral, Azkaban Navy. King of Azkaban._"

There was a brief pause. "_Please place wand on scales and hand, palm down, on the obsidian panel._"

Esdras placed his wand on the scales next to the door and his hand on the panel. There was another pause before the door spoke. "_Identification confirmed. Demnin, Esdras Tarsus. Flag Admiral, Azkaban Navy. King of Azkaban. Clearance level thirty._" The door swung open silently. "_Access granted._"

The Dementor stepped into the darkened chamber and immediately floated to the back wall. There, in unobtrusive cardboard boxes, were the Quicksilver cloaks themselves. Esdras proceeded down the line until he found the one he was looking for and pulled it from its box and slipped it on. Only then did the lights in the room turn on. The voice that addressed him was calm and familiar. "_Majesty…_"

Esdras turned to face Aaron Reaping and Kira Kirin, both of whom went from displaying equal parts anger and disappointment to shock. Aaron stared openly at his friend. "_Your eyes…_"

The king bent over one of the mirror smooth steel tables and stared wide eyed at his reflection. The Quicksilver cloak around his shoulders had turned his mortal eyes completely glowing blood red. The sclera, iris, and pupil all exhibited a uniform colored glow. The effect was even more demonic than the Firestorm cloak. Admiral Kirin floated up to the king and ripped the cloak from his shoulders before inspecting it. "_A Berserker cloak? What the hell were you planning to do with this?_"

The King of Azkaban looked calmly at his friends and paused to put his regular cloak on. After a moment smoothing it out, he took his native form and answered simply. "_I will seek revenge against my enemies. Katie deserves that much._"

Kira hissed angrily and put the cloak back in its box. Her cloak billowed furiously as she spoke. "_Seek revenge with ten thousand times your normal strength?_"

Esdras narrowed his hood. "_I would have taken no lives. I've already promised that to Dumbledore. I was merely going to inflict pain._"

Aaron hissed as well, his cloak rippling with anger. He railed on his friend, his voice slowly increasing in volume until he was shouting at the king. "_I understand the prohibition against mocking the infirm as much as the next Dementor, but I want you to consider something. Do you think Katie would be happy with you doing this? She understands Azkaban Law as well as any Dementor, well enough to live her mortal life by it, but I think her respect for you as a king means more to her than anything other than her love for you. How do you think she'll feel when she wakes up to find out that the mighty King of Azkaban, her lover, caused pain and suffering in her name? Do you think she'd be proud of that? Well? Answer me!_"

Esdras let out an unholy wail and lashed out, breaking the shelves containing the boxed cloaks. As the garments floated slowly to the ground, the king stifled a sob and punched the now barren wall. "_I have to do something, Aaron. She's there in a hospital bed and I'm here and I don't know what to do without her. What if she never wakes up? I pray to the gods and they do not help me. I pray to her God and he does not help me._" He punched the wall again, emphasizing each word with the cracking of bone and a fresh spray of blood and ichor. "_I…need…Katie!_"

In three centuries, Aaron had never seen Esdras this way. He rushed forward and quickly pulled his friend into a tight hug. The King of Azkaban, mighty descendent of the most powerful of the Azkaban gods, wept like a child on his friend's cloak. Aaron held his friend tightly and looked over to the dumbstruck Kira. "_Go and call for Michaelis. Tell him it is urgent. Speak of this to no one else._"

The research admiral nodded and quickly floated out of the chamber towards the nearest fireplace. Once she had left, Esdras slowly sank to the ground, cradling his mutilated hand. His voice was far away, farther than Luna's could ever reach. "_She told me…when we were in her mind…she told me that she had loved me from the moment she first laid eyes on me._"

Aaron floated to his knees beside his friend carefully wrapped the wounded, glowing silver hand in a clean cloth. He looked up and into the hood of his ancient friend. "_I remember, years ago, I met a beautiful Dementress who told me the same thing. I had to leave her when we were assigned to Krakow in Treaty 969. I seem to recall a newly promoted captain keeping me sane while I was away from her. Funny how things come full circle._"

Esdras sighed softly and leaned against the wall behind him. When Aaron had finished bandaging his hand he looked at the cloth and made a fist, then calmly placed his hand in his lap. "_I don't recall you ever punching stone walls when we were there. You did have quite an affinity for ripping up those barbed wire fences they built around those horrible camps._"

A soft peal of Dementor laughter filled the air, and Aaron nodded as he remembered times long past. "_Those were long years, but Christine was there for me when we got back. Katie will come back to you, Esdras. You just have to give her time._"

The injured Dementor nodded tiredly, and raised his hood as if to say something. Anything that he wanted to say was pushed aside as the chamber door opened to reveal a worried Dr. Transom and Admiral Kirin. When he saw that Esdras looked significantly calmer, he relaxed slightly and went to examine his hand. He sighed softly. "_I've seen worse. It should be a little sore tomorrow, but you'll still be able to play Quidditch._"

Esdras groaned. "_I forgot all about the match._"

Transom nodded. "_I want you to go to back to the castle and sleep tonight. I will give you something to help. Tomorrow, after the match, I want to see you. I'm worried about you, young prince. We all are._"

The king floated to his feet and nodded meekly. He suddenly felt very tired. "_Yes, doctor._"


	10. The Slug Party

Well, it's Monday yet again. That means it's time for another chapter! This time, we find that at any party, Dementor always trumps vampire.

My thanks as always to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – Esdras is very lucky to have his friends around him. One shudders to think what would happen if he didn't have Aaron's counsel. As for Dementors speaking English, remember that they're very close to Hogsmeade and there's a fair bit of commerce between the two towns. It would make sense that more and more Dementors are learning English. Besides, helping with homework would help them learn the language, too. And the Dementor mission during the war was probably reconnaissance and hunting for Grindelwald. Remember, in those days, the Dementors were still the dogs of the Ministry.

To the charming perrinette – Esdras may not be dealing with Katie's illness well, but then no one with a loved one in that situation does. Malfoy may be cunning, and he may be powerful, but let's face it, he's not the brightest candle in the castle. As for Harry and Ginny, you'll see. (Don't worry, your English is fine.)

To the ever faithful KRP – Remember, there are quite a few aurors in the Ministry, so the demand could be met. It is little wonder that the students are able to do it, even though it is advanced magic; homework help is always a great motivator. The oath may have been more than necessary, but no less that what Snape would want. You have to agree that the greasy one is not easy to satisfy. I like your thoughts about love being a drug for Dementors, I never really thought of it that way. And don't worry; Ian and Ellen are just fine. We'll meet up with them again later.

To the most excellent buffalo1 – Snape is fun to write, so I'm glad I've done him justice. But seriously, what fun would he be if he didn't wave the red cloak? And thanks for the 4.0, is there any way you can put that on my academic transcript?

To the wonderful Maelys – No need to worry, there's always another update day. I'm glad you're enjoying the chapters. I won't lie; it's very hard to write Esdras without Katie so I'm glad these scenes are able to develop Esdras more as a Dementor. And you're right; this side of him is one that only his closest friends know how to handle. Keep a close eye on Esdras and Harry; you'll soon see that, while they are very similar, they are also very different.

All the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed really ought to. I'd enjoy hearing your opinion, and your reviews help to make me a better writer. So go ahead, press the little blue button at the bottom of the page. I'd like to hear from you.

And as always, _text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 10 – The Slug Party 

Esdras let out a low and deadly hiss as he moved through the dungeons to the Potions classroom. In the still air of the hallway, the cloak around him rippled and billowed as thought it were caught in a heavy gale. Roger was walking in front of him, providing a protective barrier in the event that anyone else wanted to talk to the Dementor. The events in the Great Hall at breakfast had already worn Esdras' temper to the absolute limit. If another girl attempted to ask Esdras to take her to the Slug Club Christmas Party, Roger was positive that the Dementor would Kiss first and refuse later.

When they finally reached their destination, the pair sat down at their table and Esdras took out a large handful of parchment notes, all passed to him by girls with a hopeful look in their eyes. Without even bothering to read them, he burnt them in the fire beneath the cauldron. His voice was a low hiss, his Azkabaaner accent shining through in his anger. "Opportunists, every last one of them. Do they think I would betray my Katie in such a manner?"

Roger spoke calmly, the voice of reason for his royal friend. "It's a very prestigious event. You can't blame them for wanting to go. And with Cormac McLaggen taking Hermione, you and Harry are the only two eligible bachelors that were invited. Except for Zabini, but who would want to go with him?"

Esdras hissed at his friend, causing the mortal to scoot away slightly. "I am not eligible. I am happily dating Katie. And neither is Harry, he asked Luna to go with him."

The mortal's eyes went wide at this statement. "When did this happen?"

The Dementor sighed. "Luna told me that Harry had asked her last night. They're going as friends. Apparently he had the same idea I did and beat me to the punch. Luna is totally neutral and a great friend. She was very kind when she turned me down, said she would love to go with me if she weren't already going with Harry."

Roger nodded slowly and finally just shrugged his shoulders. "You could always take Cho."

Esdras gave the mortal a withering glance and shook his head slowly. "As good a friend as Cho is, you know as well as I do that she's an emotional wreck. Between Cedric, Harry, and standing up for Marietta last year, she's a mess. She doesn't need anything else on her shoulders, she should just stay low key this year."

The mortal sighed sadly, but kept his voice upbeat. "Well, I wish I could help you. But you shouldn't worry, you'll figure it out. You're the king, after all."

The Dementor merely groaned and shook his head. With that, their conversation was over, interrupted by the start of Potions class. Professor Slughorn did his best to manage the class as they made a Fire Protection Potion, but Esdras' lack of concentration only intensified his poor luck in the Potions classroom. As the Dementor was packing his books into his bag at the end of class, the professor walked up to his desk. "It took you a while, but it looks like your potion is right on the mark, Mr. Demnin."

Esdras looked up, and Slughorn backed away at the sight of the half normal mortal, half charred Dementor face. The first touches of silvery ichor were just beginning to heal the flesh. The Dementor half smiled. "Thank you, professor. I'm sorry about the explosion; at least it was a small one and didn't damage anything. And my face should grow back by the end of the afternoon."

Slughorn nodded slowly, still carefully regarding the damage. "Yes, well, small miracles, I suppose." He smiled brightly and continued on cheerfully. "I wanted to see if you would be attending my little party. It certainly wouldn't be the same without you."

The Dementor rolled his eye and sighed. "Yes, professor. I suppose I'll show up once I come back from visiting Katie at St. Mungo's. I don't really have anything better to do that evening."

The professor's smile grew and he put on his most charming voice. "That's wonderful. I was wondering, by the way, if you could perhaps extend an invitation to Lady Sasha Reaping to join us. I'm quite a fan of her music and I understand that she is your goddaughter."

Esdras groaned internally. He would have argued, but he just wanted to get out of the room. "Fine, I'll extend the invitation to her, but only on the condition that the rest of the Reaping family is invited as well: Aaron, his wife, and his children."

Slughorn's grin evaporated into a wide eyed look of shock. "Aaron Reaping, the Prime Minister of Azkaban? Well, of course, they would most certainly be welcome. Please, extend my invitation to them immediately."

The Dementor king nodded and shouldered his bag. "It will be done. Good day, professor."

As Esdras floated slowly from the classroom, he smirked. At least now he didn't have to worry about making friendly with people if he didn't want to. He and his friends could just close ranks and talk among themselves. Besides, he didn't get enough time to see his godchildren. As he pondered this, he almost floated into a slight, redheaded form that was cautiously peering around a corner. He smiled happily. "Hey Gin…"

The redhead in question slapped her hand over his mouth. "Quiet." She startled slightly at his half silver face, sticky with ichor. "Potions accident again?" He nodded and she ignored him. She looked around the corner again, and then turned back, looking around nervously. Finally, she settled on the Dementor. "Quick, take your natural form."

Esdras looked blankly at her. "Do what?"

Ginny's voice was desperate. "Please!"

In a flurry of cloaks, Esdras the mortal was gone, only to be replaced with Esdras the Dementor. Without another word, the mortal disappeared inside the Dementor's cloak and latched onto his waist, earning a startled protest as she wrapped her legs around his so that they weren't visible below the bottom of the cloak. At that second, Dean Thomas walked idly around the corner. He startled slightly at the towering cloaked form, but relaxed when he saw who it was. "Good morning, Esdras."

Esdras nodded as calmly as one in his situation could. "Dean."

The mortal walked on down the hall and Esdras floated along on his way. When he was sure that he was far enough away for it to be safe, he spoke out. "Okay, you can come out now."

Ginny immediately dropped from the cloaks, shivering madly from her close exposure to an unshielded Dementor. "It's so cold in there."

The Dementor nodded idly. "Just be glad I'm not feeding, you probably wouldn't have survived for that long if I had been." The redhead nodded and watched as Esdras retook his mortal form. He looked at her curiously with his face half aglow in ichor. "Now just what was all that about? I don't let just anyone in my cloak; I'm not that kind of guy."

The mortal smirked and leaned against the wall, casting a warming charm on her clothing. "I just didn't want to talk to Dean, that's all. He's nice and all, but he can be a little pushy sometimes. Sometimes I just want to have my space. He can't seem to realize that."

Esdras nodded sadly. "I'm sorry. But you really should be telling him these things if you want to work them out."

Ginny laughed slightly. "I'd love to tell him, but I can hardly get a word in edgewise. He keeps going on and on about the Slug Club party. I haven't even asked him to come with me yet and he's treating it like a sure thing. Now, I'm not even sure I want to take him."

The Dementor huffed and spoke bitterly. "You're doing better than me. At least you have someone to go with if you want. Katie's still in a coma and I've gotten offers from over fifty girls all wanting to go with me to the party. They don't care about me, they just want the opportunity."

The mortal sighed and shook her head. Then she paused and, after a second, began to laugh softly. "Oh no, it couldn't work."

Esdras arched an eyebrow. "What?"

Ginny smiled a smile that would be better suited for her twin brothers. "Well, it's a terrible thing you being so emotionally distraught over Katie. You really shouldn't be going to this party without a friend by your side, someone you can trust."

The Dementor perked up, following her train of thought immediately. His face took on half a grin equal to Ginny's. "Someone who has my best interests at heart. I should be going with someone who has been my friend for years and who isn't just trying to worm her way in on an opportunity."

The mortal wrapped her arm around the Dementor's and nodded. "Now, where can we find you someone like that?"

* * *

Esdras had escorted Luna to the Gryffindor common room since they were both heading in the same direction to meet up with people before the party. When they reached the portrait hole, he flashed his new Azkaban Navy identification badge and the Fat Lady happily admitted them. The well dressed pair looked around. Hermione, dressed in a lovely blue taffeta dress was sitting on the couch by the fireplace reading her potions textbook. Ron, looking horribly disgruntled, sat beside her. The Dementor chose his words carefully as he approached the pair. "Good evening. Where is everyone?" 

Ron huffed, but Hermione looked up and smiled. "Ginny will be down momentarily. Harry and Cormac, too, most likely."

Luna smiled and nodded. "You look very nice, Hermione."

Hermione smiled in reply and would have returned the compliment, but was interrupted by Ron pushing off the couch. He spoke bitterly. "Well, I have had about enough of this. I think I'll just go to bed early tonight. You all have a good time."

The redhead stormed his way to the dormitory stairs, trailed only by the airy voice of Luna. "Thank you, Ron."

Esdras, in full naval dress uniform, sighed. "Well, I think he's taking things well."

Hermione scoffed. "Please. He's childish and immature and pigheaded…"

The Dementor cut her off, speaking in Azkabaaner for privacy. "_And you'd have taken him if you weren't proving a point to him._"

The bushy haired mortal blushed furiously, but was saved from answering by an enthusiastic shout of 'Won-Won!' coming from the other side of the room. The Dementor looked across the room and stared wide eyed at the sight of Lavender Brown attempting to perform a Dementor's Kiss on Ron. He was pulled away from the sight by a familiar voice. "_Disgusting, isn't it?_"

The question had been phrased by Ginny, who had just come down the stairs to join them. The Dementor shivered. "_It's like watching a Muggle automobile accident, you can't look away._" He finally turned to look at his date and grinned when he saw that she wore what a very formal, very flattering black gown. "You look very nice, Ginevra."

The redhead smirked and took her place beside the Dementor, who was pointedly trying to ignore the death stare Dean Thomas was giving him. She linked arms with him and leaned against him. "Thank you, Esdras. You clean up well, yourself."

The group did not have to wait much longer for Harry and Cormac, as the pair came downstairs a few minutes later. The girls each went to their respective dates for the evening and, together, the three couples made their way down the stairs. Soon enough, they were following the sounds of a party in full swing. When they entered the room, they paused to look around. There were a very large number of very important and high ranking people in attendance.

They did not stand idle for long, for they were immediately greeted by a familiar cloaked form. At nine feet tall, the Dementors stood head, shoulders, and chest over the crowd. Aaron Reaping waved happily. "Esdras!"

Esdras smiled and waved to his friend, taking Ginny's hand and leading her across the room. The other mortals followed, and soon enough, he was able to provide proper introductions for all. "Lord Aaron, Lady Catherine, Lady Sasha, Lord Jacob, and Lady Calla Reaping, meet my mortal friends, Ginevra Weasley, Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, and Cormac McLaggen."

Ginny immediately knelt and smiled at the two cloaklings. Jacob launched himself at her and the redhead laughed, hugging him tight. "_I remember you; I let you borrow my scarf last year at a Quidditch game._" She then regarded the tiny cloaked form of Calla and smiled brightly at her. "_And look at you. Aren't you just the cutest cloakling ever?_"

Calla giggled nervously and hid behind her mother's cloaks, but, with some encouragement, came out and curtsied politely to the mortal. Within moments, they were chatting about important topics like sweets and crayons and plush toy dragons. Higher up, Cormac was staring in awe of Sasha. "You went on tour with the Weird Sisters, didn't you? This is amazing, I…I mean, my sister…has your album. I don't suppose I could get your autograph for her, if you don't mind?"

Harry smirked. "You don't have a sister. But you do have a poster of her beside your bed."

Cormac blushed furiously but Sasha just laughed softly, putting an arm around the mortal's shoulders. "I'll tell you what. If you get Esdras that poster, I'll autograph it for you. How does that sound?"

Cormac nodded dreamily. Esdras smirked and shook his head slowly before addressing his old friend. "_How are the mortals treating you, Aaron?_"

The Prime Minister of Azkaban shrugged and looked around. "_Not bad, I suppose. You were right about Slughorn, he seems to show regard only for perceived power. It took a while for us to get rid of him, but otherwise, most of the mortals I've talked to so far have been very kind to us._"

The king nodded. "_Well, take the opportunity to network. We need supporters in the mortal world that can stand up for us if the Ministry tries anything drastic. The higher up the support, the better._"

Aaron nodded happily. "_Don't worry, majesty, I've got on my charming face._"

* * *

As the hours passed, occasionally a member of the group would leave and mingle around with the crowd. But for the most part, the Dementors and students got along well and stuck together. Some got along too well, as Hermione had to occasionally drag the star struck Cormac away from Sasha so that the Dementress could have a moment's rest. Esdras, for his part, had managed to befriend the owner of the Firebolt Corporation. While it was not a major political networking link, Esdras, Aaron, and Ginny all found it a relief to be able to talk Quidditch tactics for a while with someone who knew what they were talking about. 

By far the most minor concern was Harry disappearing when he went to get drinks with Luna. The blonde returned alone with a butterbeer and began discussing the Rotfang Conspiracy, which she had apparently been discussing earlier with Professor Trelawney and no one could even comprehend. Aaron nodded politely and quickly changed the subject. "_Luna, how are your lessons in Azkabaaner going?_"

There was a brief pause as she attempted to discern what Aaron was saying, but Luna replied with a slow, sure voice. "_Lessons…are fine. Azkabaaner is…fun, but…hard._"

Esdras and Ginny smirked slightly, and the king put an arm around the blonde's shoulder. "_She's being modest. At the rate she's going, she'll be fluent by the end of the year. She's taking to it faster than Ginny._"

The redhead's smirk evaporated and she thumped him on the arm. "_Hey!_"

The Dementor winced and rubbed his arm. "_Well, it's true…_"

Ginny smirked. "_That doesn't mean you have to mention it in polite conversation._"

Esdras laughed, but quickly sobered up when Harry came skidding to a halt in front of him. The mortal was out of breath. "I just saw Snape talking to Malfoy in one of the classrooms."

The Dementor arched an eyebrow at this and replied in the language he had been using, forgetting to whom he was speaking. "_What did they have to say?_"

Harry merely looked confused. "You know I don't understand Azkabaaner, Esdras."

Ginny sighed and spoke, for she was equally interested in what Harry had to say. "What were they talking about?"

The scarred mortal nodded and stepped closer, lowering his voice so the crowd covered what he said. "Malfoy had been wandering around, trying to crash the party. Snape found him and they went in one of the spare classrooms. He offered to help Malfoy with what he had to do, but he refused."

Esdras blinked for a second. "What does Malfoy have to do?"

Harry shook his head. "I don't know. They never spoke about that. It was all very round about. But it's obvious what all this means. Malfoy is a Death Eater and so is Snape."

The Dementor king sighed and looked across to his prime minister. Aaron was deep in thought as well and they spoke through their hood expressions for a moment. Finally, Aaron gave an almost imperceptible shake of his hood and Esdras nodded. He returned his attention to Harry and sighed. "I want you to know first and foremost that I believe you. But all you have is hearsay. It's nothing that I can work with. Azkaban Law is very stringent about the penalties imparted on slander and libel. If I was to act on what you have told me and it could not be proven, it would be my head on the chopping block, literally. All I can tell you to do is to go to Dumbledore with this. I wish I could do more, but it is a Hogwarts matter and must be dealt with by Hogwarts authorities."

The Gryffindor glared furiously at the Dementor before pushing him aside and walking away towards the snack table. Aaron let out a slow breath. "_He took that well._"

Esdras merely shook his head and sighed, earning a reassuring pat on the back from Ginny. "_I hate politics._"


	11. Christmas Miracle

Friday again, and not a moment too soon. Maybe I can salvage this rather lackluster week with another chapter. This time, Esdras gets the greatest gift of all.

A note for everyone, I admit that I've deviated from the story just a little bit. First, I figure that, with the presence of Dementors protecting the traveling students, there is no need to Floo and everyone can take the train like normal. Second, someone's coming home early.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the wonderful Maelys – There are more differences between Esdras and Harry than just those you have seen, believe me. Some of it has to do with age, as Esdras is three centuries older than Harry. I miss Katie, too, but you're right, Ginny is definitely a good friend to have. And I love writing the Reapings; they're such a fun family!

To the always charming perrinette – I love the cloaklings, they're so much fun to write and I try to give them a wide-eyed innocence about the world, since they're pretty much seeing everything for the first time. And as for Harry not learning Azkabaaner, I think it fits with his personality. He has a lot to worry about and, let's face it, he's not exactly one known for doing the easiest or smartest thing in a given situation.

To the ever faithful KRP – Hey, Ginny's just a friend. Esdras wouldn't have responded so well to her offer otherwise. Esdras is currently in the Dementor equivalent of his mid-twenties; remember, in the equivalent of his teenage years he was engaged to Sidara, so that had to have left him jaded towards relationships for a while. If Esdras wears mortal clothes in Dementor form, they become tattered and aged so, naturally, he would want to avoid this (the exception being uniforms). In Dementor form, all he wears is cloak and shroud. So technically, he wasn't. A lot of people, not just Ginny and Katie, are getting incorporated into the Dementor way, take the Ravenclaw Quidditch team for instance. Ginny knew it was Jacob because all Dementors are identifiable as individuals, just like how she can tell Esdras and Aaron apart. And poor Slughorn, you just know the wheels in his head were turning when Esdras mentioned Aaron. Such a shame they all closed ranks and had their own party within a party. Your anecdote was very funny! It's always interesting when art imitates life.

To the ever faithful Snood – Esdras isn't exactly what you'd call a potions expert. Let's just say that Snape is probably glad to not be in the dungeons with him anymore. I think Ginny is definitely a key character in the whole HP series, so I am glad to give her a prominent role in my story, as well. Plus, she's hilarious to write for, she's fearless. Interesting you mention the tower scene, as I'm just getting ready to write it. I have an idea of where I'm taking it, but I have to leave myself open for HP7, so I admit I'm walking a fine line. And I'll keep the style note in mind. Thanks!

For all the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed, you should. Your reviews make me a better writer and I like hearing what other people have to say about my work. So go ahead, press the little blue button at the bottom.

And as always, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 11 – Christmas Miracle 

The bright red engine of the Hogwarts Express gleamed happily in Kings Cross Station as the students began debarkation for winter break. Esdras, who had spent the entire ride alternating between his Ravenclaw Quidditch teammates, his other Ravenclaw friends, and his Gryffindor friends, floated gracefully from the train car and landed gently on the platform. He was met by Aaron Reaping, who saluted casually. "_Nothing to report, the trip went perfectly._"

Esdras nodded and looked up to the vaulted roof of the station. Five fleets of Dementors, the force assembled to accompany the train, were stretching and chatting, congratulating themselves on a job well done and discussing where in London one could find the best curry. The King of Azkaban turned to face his prime minister. "_Very good, admiral, but refresh my memory. Exactly why did you feel it necessary to personally lead the security force?_"

Aaron huffed. "_Oh, and you think I don't hate politics just as much as you do? Please, I had to do something to get away from the paperwork._"

The two Dementors were reduced to laughter at their respective situations. Esdras shook his head slowly and smiled. As the students continued to debark, they were joined by a group of redheads. Esdras smiled happily. "Good afternoon, Mr. Weasley, Mrs. Weasley."

The elder Weasleys, joined by Ron, Ginny, and Harry, smiled. Mrs. Weasley stepped forward and straightened his platinum banded cloak. "Oh dear, I was afraid of this. You need to eat more. You've got an entire nation to run; you shouldn't let yourself go like this."

Esdras looked shyly to his feet. "I'm very healthy for a Dementor."

Ginny sighed and gently nudged her mother aside. "I think what mum is trying to say is that we were wondering what your plans are for Christmas."

The Dementor shrugged. "Oh, nothing really. I'll probably spend it at New Demnin with Aaron and his family, and I'm going to visit the Bells. And I'll probably spend more time with Katie in the hospital." His face fell slightly. "And then there's the Ministry to deal with and everything. So it probably won't be as relaxing as I'd like."

The young redhead smiled slightly. "I was talking with mum and dad and we all want you to come over for Christmas Eve. Can you take some time to relax and be with friends?"

Esdras nodded, but sighed. "I can, but I really shouldn't. I don't want to be a burden. Plus, I'll be at the Reapings and…"

He was cut off by Mrs. Weasley. "Well, bring them along, too." She turned to the tall form of Aaron and smiled brightly. "Please, bring your family along. We'd love to have you all over."

Aaron bowed politely. "I will extend the invitation to Christine and see what she has to say. I'm certain she will agree, though. Please, is there anything that we should bring?"

Molly brushed his concern aside with a wave of her hand. "Don't worry about that, just show up. Any time after three would be preferable."

The two Dementors bowed politely and Esdras spoke for the pair. "Then so it shall be. Thank you for your generous invitation. We will see you on Christmas Eve."

The redheaded mortals smiled and waved as they walked towards the brick wall to the Muggle portion of the station leaving a pair of happy Dementors. Aaron straightened up and sighed. "They're nice people."

Esdras nodded idly and hefted his trunk. "They really are. I should be off, though. I promised the Bells I would come by once we had arrived, then I'm going to St. Mungo's."

Aaron nodded and floated up into the air. "I'll take the troops back to New Demnin, then. Give Katie my regards."

* * *

The night of the twenty third of December had brought a snowstorm to Ottery St. Catchpole. So it was that on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, the whole of the town was covered in a thick blanket of perfect white snow. This was not lost on the line of six Dementors that had Apparated at on the path leading up to a quaint little home just after three o'clock, each with a small satchel on their back. Still clutching his father after Side Along Apparating with him, the eldest cloaking piped up at the sight of the Burrow. "_Papa, it looks just like a mortal Christmas card._" 

The snow certainly did add a certain picturesque charm to the mortal dwelling, and the elder Dementors nodded. Aaron turned to his son. "_Now, do you remember your mortal greeting?_"

The cloakling nodded sharply and recited the line of English he had memorized. "Happy Christmas, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. My name is Jacob Reaping. Thank you for inviting us to dinner tonight. A thousand blessings be upon this house."

The Dementor nodded happily and made a final check of his son. To his right, his wife did a similar check of his daughter. When both cloaklings looked perfectly presentable, he nodded and they floated up to the door. Esdras and Sasha were already waiting, the former in mortal form and smiling. "_The cloaklings look fine. They'll be absolute angels compared to Fred and George._"

Aaron nodded. "_They had better be…_"

Esdras laughed softly and knocked on the door. There was raucous noise from inside before a voice that was obviously Ginny's called out. "Who is it?"

The Dementor sighed at the security protocol, but replied happily. "It's Esdras and the Reaping family."

There was a pause, and then Ginny spoke in Azkabaaner. "_What ended up happening to you at our last Quidditch match?_"

Esdras laughed out loud. "_A critical failure of my port dorsal superior float bladder. Umbridge was caught within the blast radius._"

The door opened to reveal a smiling redhead in a blue jumper. "_And it was a glorious sight. Come in, all of you._"

The six Dementors all floated in and made their way to the living room. Esdras smiled brightly. "Happy Christmas, we bring gifts!" The Dementors began to unload the satchels they carried on their backs, enlarging the items contained within. As Aaron placed the Christmas presents under the tree, Esdras counted off what they had brought to the party. "We have three hams, and a goose, a dozen mince pies, some green mint beer, two cakes, three kinds of cookies, and some sprays of fresh mint to bring prosperity to your family in the winter months."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley approached and looked at the bounty that the Dementors had brought. The matriarch shook her head. "Oh my, this is far too much. I told you that you didn't have to bring anything."

Christine Reaping laughed softly. "Perhaps, but with our children's appetites, I thought it best not to take chances."

There was bright laughter at this statement and finally, Ginny went around making introductions, mainly for the benefit of Sasha since most everyone knew each other through the Order. "Let's see, you know mum and dad and Ron and Harry. That's Charlie in the corner there, he works with dragons. Fred and George, they own the joke shop of course, and that's Bill with the long hair, he works for the bank. Everyone, this is Esdras Demnin, Aaron and Christine Reaping, their cloaklings Jacob and Calla, and Aaron's sister Sasha."

Hesitantly, Jacob and Calla floated up to the Weasleys and the elder child stammered his greeting, mispronouncing the words 'Christmas' and 'blessings' in his nervousness. Young Calla simply held out the mint sprigs and looked up at the pair hopefully. The sight was positively adorable, and the Weasley matriarch happily scooped up the pair and began doting on them. Within seconds, both had cookies in their hands and were laughing happily. The happy laughter drew a blonde haired girl out of the kitchen. She took one look at the Dementors and screamed. However, Fleur Delacour did not scream in terror. "Mon dieu! Mon dieu! Sasha Reaping! Oh mon dieu, I am such a fan!"

The Dementors all winced as the voice of the quarter-Veela grated at their ears and the cloaklings put their hands to the sides of their hoods to block the noise. Ginny sighed heavily and motioned to the new arrival. "And this is Fleur Delacour, Bill's fiancée." She smirked. "_Or as we call her, 'Phlegm'._"

The cloaklings both giggled at this, but were silenced by stern glances from all four of the adults. Molly quickly returned the cloaklings to their parents and put an arm around Fleur, who was positively gushing over the presence of the Azkaban pop star in the living room. "Fleur, dear, I need someone to set the table, and you're the best at it. There will be plenty of time for you to talk to Sasha, but we have to get things ready for dinner."

The Veela seemed to remember her surroundings and nodded slowly. "Yes, of course, Molly." She turned to Sasha and smiled brightly. "Oh, zees ees such an honor. I cannot wait to talk with you."

As the blonde positively floated into the dining room, Sasha sighed and relaxed. "Thank you, Mrs. Weasley. I love my fans, but sometimes they can be a little enthusiastic."

The Weasley matriarch smiled. "Of course, dear. So you're some kind of singer, then?"

This question was met by an awkward silence. Charlie, who had been watching the conversation from the sofa, cleared his throat. "Mom, Sasha Reaping has been on the top of the WWN most requested playlist for four months now. Her debut album has already gone platinum worldwide."

Sasha nodded shyly. "I don't like to brag, though."

Bill shook his head and rose to talk to the cloaked singer. "I know Fleur may have come on strong, but she really is one of your biggest fans." He paused slightly. "I know this is sudden having just met you, but I was wondering if we could hire you to sing at our wedding in August. It would be a dream come true for Fleur."

The Dementress didn't look at all uncomfortable, but merely turned to Esdras for advice. His silent shrug of indifference indicated that there was no reason to say no, so she turned back to the mortal and nodded her hood softly. "I will certainly consider it, but it will depend on if my schedule is clear. I'll have my manager get in touch with you." She held up a finger to halt Bill before he was able to say anything else, her voice cheerful. "It's Christmas, we shouldn't be talking business tonight."

* * *

Dinner was excellent, and the entire affair went smoothly, except for Fleur constantly talking Sasha's hood off and Jacob spilling his glass of ichor on his cloak. Otherwise, the meal was a total success. Mortal and Dementor alike retired to the living room while the dishes quietly washed themselves in the kitchen. As the adults settled in with cups of tea, they watched as the cloaklings played a game of Exploding Snap with the twins. Fred eyed Calla curiously. "So how old are you, then?" 

Calla looked up to her father for a translation and then replied in the same manner. "_I'm thirteen years old._"

George smiled. "You're rather tiny for thirteen, aren't you?"

Aaron merely shook his hood before relaying the message. The result was expected. Young Calla rose up and billowed her cloak menacingly, or at least as menacingly as a cloakling could be. "_I am not tiny!_"

Fred watched as the two and a half foot tall Dementress billowed in front of them. He backed away playfully. "I do believe we're being threatened by a Dementor, brother."

George nodded. "Indeed, good thing we know how to deal with them. There's only one thing we can do…"

Without further preamble, the twins pulled the cloakling from the air and tickled her mercilessly. Her angry billowing quickly was reduced to joyous laughter as she squirmed from the mortal attack. Eventually she freed herself and launched herself at first one than the other. Her voice was happy as she showed there were no hard feelings. "_Hugs for mortals!_"

The mortal parents and Dementor parents both smiled and resumed their conversations. Esdras was attempting to explain to Mr. Weasley exactly why Muggles used paper clips when the living room fireplace erupted in bright green flames. A traveler stepped out of the hearth and quickly looked around. Esdras rose from his seat. "Eric?"

Eric Bell, Katie's elder brother, stood in the hearth of Weasley fireplace looking totally disheveled. He crossed the room in two strides and grabbed the Dementor's shoulders. "She's awake."

The Dementor stared in shock at the mortal for a long second before echoing his words. "She's awake? Katie's awake?"

The mortal nodded. "Hurry up; we have to get to St. Mungo's."

Esdras didn't move for a few seconds. "She's awake. She's awake…" Finally, the realization of what he was saying struck him. "She's awake!" He looked frantically around and found the Weasleys. In his rush and shock, his voice was a blur and thick with his Azkaban accent. "Thank you so very much for your hospitality tonight, I hope to repay the courtesy someday. Happy Christmas, and a thousand blessings upon this house."

Molly was already at the door, holding it open. "Gratitude later, go to Katie!"

The Dementor nodded and headed for the door. He was surprised to see that he was being followed by the Reaping family. Aaron pushed him out the door. "_She's our friend, too. Let's move it!_"

Outside the Burrow, Eric joined them and the seven successfully Apparated to the Designated Apparition Point of St. Mungo's Hospital. There, Esdras grabbed Eric and ignited his afterburners. Behind him, he could hear the Reapings doing the same. The location of the ward Katie was in was long since burned into his memory and he flew the path expertly. Outside of the ward, he released her brother, took a deep breath and opened the door.

Mr. and Mrs. Bell sat on the far side of her bed, laughing happily. Esdras quickly glided forward and was brought to a stop when Katie turned her head to face him. Her chocolate brown eyes were open and she was smiling. Icy tears filled his eyes as her smile grew even wider. He broke down completely when she spoke. All it took was a single word. "Hi."


	12. Love and Joy

Another Monday, so that means everyone gets another chapter! This time, Esdras makes a life changing decision.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful KRP – The chapter title may have given it away, but it certainly was a fitting title. And it is rather telling that the twins didn't get concerned, but you're right, little Calla, all of three feet tall, isn't much of a threat to anyone. As for how Eric got in, you can just assume it's due to some sort of emergency link from St. Mungo's. Presents weren't included for a reason, it's only Christmas Eve. They'll be opening their gifts tomorrow. And you're right; Esdras was definitely getting a little gloomy there, so Katie's return will definitely get things better in terms of his mood, food stores, and Ministry dealings.

To the ever faithful perrinette – Behold, I am proud to bestow upon you the title of ever faithful reviewer. Review with pride! And you're quite right, everyone is happy again. Hurray! Percy and the Minister don't visit until Christmas Day, so Esdras will miss them. And more people than just Fleur are fans, Sasha's gone platinum!

To the ever faithful Maelys – Behold, I am proud to bestow upon you the title of ever faithful reviewer. Review with pride! I'm glad you like everything so far. I love the cloaklings, they're so much fun and they're so cute, too. And now that Katie is back, she'll be back with a vengeance.

To the most excellent buffalo1 – Sadly no, there was no wind up horse for the toad. However, some of our favorite floating friends did send her the following: a swift kick in the pants, a long walk off a short pier, and a pie in the face. Dementors are nothing if not generous.

To the oft hidden, but nonetheless charming NaginiFay – It's only going to get better! I'm writing the finale now.

All the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed really should. It's good for you and will increase your good karma. And, I enjoy hearing what you think, because your reviews help make me a better writer. So go on, press the button.

And as usual, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 12 – Love and Joy 

Christmas Day, and the door to Bellmont swung open and a bright peal of laughter, unheard for many months, floated in. Katie Bell, freshly released from St. Mungo's Hospital under the strict condition that she rest, was held firmly in Esdras' arms. She laughed uproariously as he carried her into the house. She gave him a quick thump on the shoulder. "Put me down, you great cloaked oaf! I can walk on my own two feet, thank you very much."

The King of Azkaban released his squirming bundle and set her down. However, she did not let him go, choosing instead to remain wrapped in his arms. They were followed by the smiling forms of Timothy, Elizabeth, and Eric Bell. The Bell family was together again and it showed in their smiling faces. Mrs. Bell hung her coat in the closet and smiled happily. "Well, I'll get breakfast started. Eric, set the table. Tim, would you mind helping me?"

As the two men nodded, Katie huffed indignantly and looked to her mother. "And what do you want us to do, mom?"

Mrs. Bell looked at the pair for a second, a smirk on her lips. "Esdras, I'll give you the difficult job. Put Katie on the couch and keep her there. The healer said she shouldn't overexert herself."

The Dementor nodded sharply and again lifted Katie up, unconcerned by her protestations. "Yes, ma'am."

As he glided easily into the living room, Katie's protests calmed. "Good work, darling, you have her fooled. Now put me down." Esdras, however, remained completely unfazed as he glided to the couch, laid her down, put a blanket over her, and tucked her in. He took a seat at the edge of the sofa and every time she tried to get up, he gently pushed her back down. The blond mortal glared angrily at the Dementor. "Exactly whose side are you on?"

Esdras smirked. "My own. Your healer gave you strict instructions that you were to rest, and Dr. Transom agreed. You have to listen to them. I can make it an order if I have to, Captain Bell."

Katie huffed angrily. "One month bed rest is too much. I feel perfectly fine. I'm ready to go back to Hogwarts right now. I feel healthy enough to play against Slytherin."

The Dementor shook his head. "You're not. I saw the triage spell. You're still very sick. You may not be able to play Quidditch for a while once you get back to school."

She gasped. "But what about the Hufflepuff game?"

Esdras cut off her argument by leaning in and pressing her to the sofa with a passionate kiss. Katie ceased struggling and, when he broke the kiss, looked up at him with playful eyes. Esdras grinned. "You have no earthly idea how much I've missed that."

The mortal wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled. "Well, I suppose if you won't let me get up, this is the best way to keep me down."

The Dementor nodded. "Yes, well, I doubt your healer or Dr. Transom would see it the same way. This might fall under the category of 'overexertion'."

Katie grabbed Esdras' shirtfront and pulled him close, her lips brushing against his. "Overexert me all you want."

They were interrupted by the fireplace flashing from yellow flame to green. Inside the flames was a familiar hood which spoke with a wry voice. "_King Esdras, Lady Katherine, glad to see things are back to normal._"

The mortal giggled softly and smiled at the fireplace. "_Good morning, Lord Aaron. To what do we owe the pleasure?_"

Aaron laughed softly. "_Well, I was talking with Christine and we figured that since you are on hospital enforced bed rest and would be unable to come to New Demnin, we could bring dinner to you tomorrow evening. I wanted to see if you and your family would agree._"

Katie nodded and shouted towards the kitchen. "Mom! The Reapings want to bring dinner over tomorrow evening."

A voice echoed back from the kitchen. "That's fine, dear."

The mortal turned back towards the fireplace and smiled. "_You heard her._"

The prime minister nodded and spoke cheerfully. "_Wonderful. We'll come over around five o'clock. Tell your mother not to worry about anything; we'll take care of it all. Happy Christmas to you all._"

The pair both echoed back the holiday sentiment before the fireplace connection closed. Esdras smiled happily. "Now, where were we?"

A firm tapping on the door caused Katie to sigh. "Apparently, you were just getting the door, love."

Esdras groaned and floated up and into the hallway where he called out through the door. "Who is it?"

The voice called back. "_It is Malachi and Stephanie. We've come to see Katie._"

The Dementor smirked and thought up a question only the two of them would know. "_Very well, then. How did you two first meet?_"

Stephanie replied happily. "Malachi taught me to speak English."

Esdras flung open the door and smiled brightly at the pair of Dementors. "_Happy Christmas. Come on in, she's in the living room._"

The three glided into the living room and Katie smiled happily at her friends. "_Malachi, Stephanie, what brings you here?_"

Stephanie floated over and knelt at the sofa beside her. "_Aaron told us you had woken up, and I just had to come see you today. You'll never guess what Malachi did._"

Esdras, standing behind the girls, arched an eyebrow at Malachi. He was simply floating, arms crossed, with a smug expression on his hood. The Dementor king's jaw dropped. "_Oh no, you didn't._"

Malachi's nod and Katie's excited squeal came at the same time. Esdras looked over Stephanie's shoulder just in time to catch sight of the glowing fire emerald ring before the Dementress spoke. "_We're getting married!_"

* * *

Katie stood happily on Platform 9 ¾, nestled between Esdras and Dr. Transom and surrounded by a phalanx of Dementor guards. These guards, however, were not standard Infantry. Katie was being protected by the last remaining loyal Marines of Azkaban, under the command of Tarquin Sanguis. The years since the unfortunate incident over the Quidditch pitch had been eventful, and even the demotion for his insubordinate act hadn't kept him down. In fact, as the highest ranking Marine to remain loyal to the king, Sanguis had quickly been promoted to admiral and placed in command of the Azkaban Marine Corps. Presently, his corps consisted of one hundred twenty Dementors, all of whom were surrounding Katie, cloaked in Riot Assault cloaks and armed to the teeth. When confident the station was secure, Admiral Sanguis floated to Esdras and saluted. "_The station has been secured, Majesty._" 

Esdras returned the salute. At his side, Katie smiled. "_Admiral Sanguis, I admire your attention to detail, but this is far too much, even for me._"

The Marine admiral bowed deeply. "_Not at all, Lady Katherine. You saved my life three years ago when you stayed the Glaive in His Majesty's hand. I have not forgotten the debt I owe you, and I will repay it. Consider our protecting you to be merely the interest._"

The mortal nodded with a soft smile on her face and watched as the Marines kept their careful guard. She sighed sadly as Esdras hefted his trunk. "_Why can't I come with you?_"

Esdras merely sighed and pointed to the doctor. "_Him. Talk to him. I want you to come, but I can't give you medical clearance._" He smiled and kissed her softly. "_Now, I'll come and visit you every day like I did when you were in the hospital._"

The mortal sighed and nodded. "_Well, at least this time I'll be awake for it._"

The Dementor grinned and leaned in for another kiss but was promptly pulled away and tossed into the air by an enthusiastic redhead. Ginny Weasley interposed herself between the two and grinned at her teammate as she pulled her into a hug. "Katie, you're well enough to come back? This is great; we need you back on the team!"

Katie happily returned the hug but smiled sadly. "I'd wish I could, Ginny, but I'm not healthy enough to come back to school yet, apparently." She gestured to Dr. Transom. "They want me to rest at home for a month, and then if I'm well enough, they'll let me come back."

Transom nodded. "And even then, there's no telling that she'll be healthy enough to play Quidditch immediately."

Ginny sighed sadly, but managed to find a smile. "Well, none of that matters. All that matters is that you're awake and back."

Katie nodded and smiled playfully. "And I believe I have you to thank for keeping Esdras from going insane while I was away." At the redhead's cautious nod, Katie hugged her tight. "Thank you for looking after him. I couldn't have trusted anyone else."

By this time, the others of the Weasley clan and their associates had noticed the long absent blond and threaded their way through the imposing Marine barrier. Ron and Hermione both offered their well wishes, but Harry was all business. "Katie, do you have any idea what happened to you?"

The blonde shook her head sadly. "Esdras has told me everything that happened, including how I managed to survive. He and I have gone over the whole morning a few times, but I can't remember anything after I left his side to go to the bathroom. I wish I could remember, though. I want to know what happened."

Harry turned to Esdras and opened his mouth, but the Dementor was faster. His voice was icy with his native accent. "No. I will not attempt to look through her memories. She's still recovering from spell damage that was severe enough to kill her and I'm not going to put any additional strain on her. Besides, with everything that went on afterwards, there are more important things that she and I have to worry about. Are we clear?"

The scarred mortal stared wide eyed at the glowing eyed Dementor and nodded quickly, memories of the terrible pair of death gods flashing through his mind. Esdras smiled peacefully and wrapped an arm around Katie. Their peace was short lived as Hermione and Ron were pushed aside and an all too familiar drawl called out. "Out of the way, weasel, mudblood. Make room for people that matter."

The Malfoys, Draco and Narcissa, passed quickly by. The Dementor watched calmly as Hermione held back Ron and Harry held back Ginny, and then he spoke loudly. "Say Ginny, did you enjoy spending Christmas at home…with your father?"

The redhead looked to the Dementor and smiled a smile her twin brothers would smile. Her voice was equally loud. "Oh yes, Esdras. It was wonderful. It was so nice to have the entire family at home."

Esdras nodded, barely able to keep the smile out of his voice. "You're very lucky. It would be horrible to have to spend the holidays without a parent." Draco Malfoy turned to level an insult but he was stopped by Esdras' polite voice directed at his mother. "Excuse me, Mrs. Malfoy, but I was wondering if you could deliver a message for me."

The woman with the perpetual sneer turned her attention to the Dementor and tossed her platinum blond hair as she scoffed. "I will do no such thing."

The Dementor smiled. "I was hoping you would. It's for your sister Bellatrix."

The already pale woman paled enough to make the Hogwarts ghosts jealous before she managed to stammer out her reply. "I…I have no idea where she is."

Esdras nodded idly. "Of course you don't. Anyway, should you happen to see her, pass on this message." He stepped forward and calmly kissed the woman on the lips. When he pulled away, he was in his natural Dementor form, hood lowered. He spoke with a menacing whisper. "She will know exactly what it means."

As the two Malfoys rapidly backpedaled away, Esdras stepped back to Katie's side. He took mortal form and looked ashamed. Before he could apologize, Katie nearly tackled him and kissed him passionately. When she broke the kiss, her eyes were shining. "That. Was. Brilliant."

The Weasleys were laughing hysterically. Esdras merely smirked. "That should keep her looking over her shoulder for a few days, at least."

The whistle of the great red engine blew, signaling that the train was preparing to leave the station. As the Weasleys saw their children off, Katie smiled and wrapped her arms around Esdras. "Study hard, take good notes for me, and I'll understand if you're not able to come by every day."

Esdras laughed and kissed her softly. "You're not getting rid of me that easily, my love." He hefted up his trunk and turned to Transom and Sanguis. "_Get her home safely and make sure she's well tended to. I'll see you back at New Demnin._"

The two admirals nodded and saluted and the mortal smiled and waved as the Dementor floated towards the train. As he levitated his trunk into the train car, he was joined by Aaron. "_All divisions ready for transit to Hogsmeade, majesty._"

The king nodded, looking to the rail ahead as the train began to slowly come to life. "_Let's do it._"

* * *

As the train began to trundle along, Esdras found a place to stow his trunk and sit down. After a few minutes, though, he returned to the train car door and opened it. He stepped out into the air and floated up to join the men keeping a defensive formation around the train. He floated along until he came to the engine where Aaron was stationed. The prime minister's hood arched in surprise. "_Yes, Esdras?_" 

Esdras pointed up to the skies above. "_I want to talk to you alone._"

The two Dementors ignited their afterburners and flew up about two thousand feet into the air. Once they were assured of privacy, Aaron looked curiously towards his old friend. "_This is going to be something big, isn't it?_"

The king nodded, but didn't speak immediately. It took him a while to get his thoughts together before he looked cautiously to his friend. "_I need you to keep this a secret from everyone._" When Aaron had nodded his assent, Esdras sighed and continued. "_You heard about Malachi and Stephanie, right? They're getting married._" Again the admiral nodded. Esdras steeled himself and spoke quickly. "_I want to ask Katie to marry me. I wanted to get your opinion on it._"

Aaron's hood went wide in surprise. Then, after a second, he started laughing happily. "_Well it's about damn time._"

Esdras smirked. "_Is that your opinion as my friend or as the Prime Minister of Azkaban?_"

The minister shook his hood, trying to get his laughter under control. "_Both!_" At Esdras' confused look, he elaborated. "_You're my best friend, and I've never seen you happier than when you are with Katie. You're even happier than when Christine makes you your own mint pie so you don't have to share with anyone._"

The king's hood went wide. "_Don't tell Christine you said that. You know how much I like her mint pie._"

Aaron shook his hood. "_Don't worry, I won't say a word._" He sighed and looked to his friend. "_And Esdras, the people love her. She's as much a Dementress as any to the people. She'd be accepted as queen consort without hesitation._"

Esdras nodded quietly. "_Back when I was competing in the Triwizard Tournament, while Kara was still the Oracle, she gave Katie a prophecy. She told her that she would become the queen of Azkaban and have a long life and legacy._"

Aaron let out a low whistle. "_Well, I think that says it all, don't you?_"

The Dementor king nodded and turned to his friend. "_Thank you, Aaron._"

The prime minister shrugged as they pointed themselves towards the train, beginning the freefall back to the ground. "_That's what I'm here for._"

The freefall was refreshing and when Esdras returned to the train, he walked down the corridor intent on returning to his cabin. However, he paused when he looked into one compartment and saw a familiar person. Without thinking, Esdras stopped, opened the door, and stuck his head inside. "Ginny, can I have a word with you?"

The redhead looked up from her game of Exploding Snap and smiled. "Sure thing." Within moments, Esdras had led her to the same door he had exited the first time and stepped out with her on his back. A few minutes after that, he was back at two thousand feet with a mortal on his back. Ginny smiled as she looked down at the train below. "So, to what do I owe the honor of a free flight?"

Esdras was very serious. "I need you to keep this a secret. Only Aaron knows what I am about to tell you and I want to keep it that way." Ginny nodded solemnly and the Dementor nodded. "I know a lot about mortals, but I haven't studied everything. I know you know about weddings and whatnot because Bill is getting married." He paused. "What is the right way to ask to marry a mortal girl?"

Ginny's squeal was almost deafening and she talked in a continuous stream. "Oh Merlin, Esdras, you're going to ask Katie? Oh this is wonderful; you two are so perfect together! I can't believe it, she's so lucky and you are, too. Oh, what am I saying, you're both lucky!"

The Dementor smiled slightly. "Well, I haven't asked her family yet. And I don't even know how to go about it with a mortal family or how much I should offer them. The bride price for a Dementress of Katie's grace and character would be well over five hundred bars of platinum."

The mortal paled. "Esdras, mortals don't have dowries or bride prices. You won't have to give her family anything other than your assurance that you will protect her and provide for her."

Esdras nodded. "I can do that. Is there any form of ritual combat I will have to engage in if her father should refuse my request?"

Ginny shook her head and muttered under her breath. "Dementors…" She sighed and spoke calmly. "Look, all you have to do is ask her. She's the one you're marrying and she makes the final say. Some people ask the girl's parents beforehand, Bill did that with Fleur's parents. There are no bride prices, no dowries, no combat. There is just love."

The Dementor blinked in surprise. "Oh…well, that's easy then." They floated along for a while more. "What do I have to give her when I ask for her hand?"

Here, the mortal smiled brightly. "Mortal tradition is a diamond ring of some kind. Something that shows everyone that she's engaged."

Esdras nodded his head slowly. "We do the same thing with fire emerald rings. And the Dementor presents the Dementress with a white cloak for her to wear on their wedding day."

Ginny grinned brightly. "I think diamonds and fire emeralds go just fine together. Your crown is proof of that. And a white cloak would compliment a white wedding dress perfectly."

The king of Dementors looked back to his friend and sighed nervously. "This is getting very real very fast, Ginevra. I hope I'm not making a mistake."

The mortal shook her head. "Trust me, you're not."

* * *

The weeks passed slowly and Esdras began counting the days until Katie would again be at Hogwarts. Even though he was Apparating to and from Kilmarnock on a daily basis, it just wasn't the same with her not at school. He kept trying to tell himself that this was not due to the fact that he couldn't get in a good snog while her parents were in the same house, but quickly realized he wasn't fooling anyone. The evening before his birthday he went to bed happy. Tomorrow would be his 316th birthday and a Saturday, meaning he would have his entire day to spend with Katie. 

The Dementor slept soundly, visited only by the most vivid dream he had ever experienced. When he woke in the morning, he simply lay with his eyes closed reliving it. Katie had come to him in his dream and, while dreams of his mortal lover were not uncommon, he had not had a dream as vivid as this since before their relationship was consummated. Actually, as he replayed the dream in his head over and over, it became clear to him that he had never had a dream that vivid in his entire life. Sighing contentedly and rolling over, he was prepared to chalk the dream up to pent up hormones until he rolled onto a very soft, very warm body.

Esdras illuminated his eyes and flailed wildly as he tried to float out of bed. He had only made it a foot into the air by the time he realized who was looking directly at him. Katie, in all her glowing mortal glory, smiled up at his semi-hovering form. "Good morning, birthday boy."

The Dementor took mortal form and blinked with wide, glowing eyes. He tried to get his mind around the right words. Failing this, he simply posed a question. "How?"

Katie stretched seductively and looked up at him with playful eyes. "The healer had an appointment open up late on Friday and he knows how impatient I've been and how well I've been healing, so he asked if I would like to take it. I naturally agreed. Long story short, he cleared me to come back to school. I packed my trunk, Flooed in, put my stuff away in Gryffindor, and snuck in here using my Azkaban naval identification." She gestured to a pile of clothes on the floor containing a naval identification badge and a pair of skimpy purple knickers before grinning playfully. "I'm surprised you didn't wake up last night when I crawled in bed with you."

Esdras lowered himself down onto the bed, coming to rest beside her. "I did, I just thought it was all a wonderful dream. But this is even better. Having you here, it's the best birthday present I could ever ask for."

The mortal smiled and leaned up, capturing his lips in a soft kiss. "Happy birthday, my darling." Her voice fell to a low, sultry whisper as she slipped below the bed sheets. "Now, let me make your dreams come true."


	13. Azkabaaner for Pandemic

Friday, just another day in the world except for one small detail. It's time for another chapter! This time, a great pestilence falls upon the land.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Maelys – Thank you very much for the compliment. I try to write a good story, so I'm glad you enjoy it. As for Esdras and Ginny, I like writing the two of them together because they get along so well. In my opinion, every guy needs a platonic female best friend, especially when he's contemplating the big question. As for asking the Bells and proposing, well, you'll see.

To the ever faithful perrinette – I thank you for your compliment, and compliment you in turn on your blush. Esdras is making a big decision, but fortunately he's used to making big decisions. And you're right; he's got good friends helping him. And I haven't given any thought to an Azkaban bachelor party. Ought to be an interesting event…

To the ever faithful Snood – It's a giveaway on the chapter title for sure, but hey, Katie comes back so it's fine. I figure that with all the excitement of Katie waking up, none of the Bells were thinking clearly. And I figure a place like St. Mungo's would have the ability to open a Floo line in an emergency (to contact next of kin) so what happened can't be too uncommon. And the twins plus the cloaklings definitely equals a fun chapter. I tried to make Dementor proposal traditions very old world, hence the bride prices and combat. But you have to consider that Esdras considers her worth it all. Katie may be a bit young but you have to consider a few things. First, there's a war on, so emotions are high and time is short. Second, they may opt for a long engagement. Third, she'll turn 18 this year. Fourth, Esdras is immortal and Katie is not, so time weighs heavily on his mind. And fifth, they are meant for each other. And yes, Katie is back for good, she Flooed into the castle. You're right in everything you said, the fireplaces aren't open, Dumbledore did lock them, and naturally, he would want Katie coming in. And the message to Bella takes "kiss of death" to a whole new level.

To the ever faithful KRP – They can't cut a break, but look at it this way, by this time Esdras is used to waiting. Marines are no higher or lower than Infantry, nor more or less deadly, but they do receive different training. This will become evident in later chapters. Tarquin has certainly come far since the first book. His experiences then made him very loyal to the royal house. The answer of a Dementor's weight is answered in this chapter, but I can say that the laws of momentum and inertia do apply differently to a Dementor. They'd have to, since these heavy creatures are able to accelerate and decelerate to high speeds and maneuver like fighter jets without any ill effects. And poor Draco, he'll never learn. But in regards to Esdras' message to Bella, you're right, that is his opinion on all Death Eaters. Katie may be young, but like I said before, he's immortal and she isn't, so he's all too aware of how little time he has. And yes, Dementors do have all those proposal traditions. So you can assume that Malachi met with Stephanie's parents and nervously presented them with a large sum of platinum. Naturally, no one refused. And I would imagine flying on a Dementor is like flying on a broom, except faster and with better conversation. With everything that is going to happen, you can bet Esdras is going to consider 316 a very good year.

All the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed should do so! It's always good to hear from you, and I enjoy hearing what everyone thinks. Your comments help make me a better writer, and can help clear up any confusion you may have. So go ahead, press the little blue button at the bottom of the page.

And as always, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 13 – Azkabaaner for Pandemic 

In the West Radial Arm of New Demnin was a spacious, well appointed apartment. This apartment housed the Defense Minister, Lord Admiral Malachi DeCay, and his fiancée, Lady Commander Stephanie Trieste. The Lord Admiral had company over though, sadly, he was not entertaining. Minister DeCay sat quietly with Prime Minister Aaron Reaping and King Esdras in the spacious living room. All three Dementors cradled mugs of tea, but no one was drinking. Finally, one of the doors down the hallway opened and the Health Minister, Lord Admiral Doctor Michaelis Transom floated towards the living room. The elder Dementor sighed and shook his head. "_It is as I feared; she has contracted the Azkaban Plague._"

Reactions varied. Aaron sighed and put his hood in his hands. "_Christine is going to kill me for bringing this home…_"

Esdras sighed and leaned back on the couch. "_Wonderful, this is just one more thing to pile on this kingdom's heap of troubles. As if I don't have enough to worry about already with NEWTs on the way._" He looked at his teacup again and rose, headed for the kitchen. "_I need a beer._"

Aaron looked up in shock. "_It's ten in the morning!_" He looked to his cup of tea, and then contemplated his wife's reaction again. He quickly called out to his friend. "_Bring me one, too._"

Malachi looked forlornly to the Doctor. "_Will she be alright?_"

Transom nodded. "_She will be._" He sighed. "_However, we have all been in contact with her within the last forty eight hours. We will need to quarantine ourselves and everyone else who has been in contact with her in order to prevent transmission._"

Esdras had been listening from the kitchen and returned with a bottle of green mint beer in each hand. He passed off one of the bottles to Aaron and spoke. "_Take whatever steps you need, doctor. I don't want this to get out of hand. The last thing we need would be the renegades to launch an attack on us while we are all sick with the plague._"

Aaron narrowed his hood and pounded his fist on the arm of the couch. "_I'll bet they're to blame. I wouldn't put it past them to use the plague as some form of bioweapon. They could have easily infected a letter and mailed it to someone here, and they would have been none the wiser._"

Michaelis shook his hood at this. "_No, Aaron. I doubt that is the case. The plague has a natural 250 year cycle. The last time the plague struck was in Treaty Year 754, so we're overdue for it to resurface. I'm willing to bet they'll be suffering just as we are soon enough._" He sighed and turned to Malachi. "_Do you have any idea how she might have contracted the plague?_"

The Defense Minister scratched his hood and shrugged. "_Well, she did go and visit family on Cyprus last week. But she said everyone there was fine._"

The doctor nodded absently at this. "_You're both so young. Neither of you were born when the plague last struck. She wouldn't have known what to look for._" He sighed. "_Well, I suppose I am partly to blame myself. I should have been better prepared for this eventuality. Some Health Minister I am._"

Esdras shook his hood. "_No, old friend, with everything that has gone on after abandoning the island, no one can blame you for anything. Besides, a great Dementor once told me that the plague is a force of nature and an act of the gods all rolled into one. No one can predict or prevent it, only treat it as it rises._"

Dr. Transom nodded slowly and laughed. "_You use my words against me, young prince. And here I thought you never listened to me._"

The king laughed and put a hand on the doctor's shoulder. "_Delegate authority for the quarantine procedures as you see fit, then report to quarantine yourself. I will quarantine myself at Hogwarts. Keep me updated at all times._" He turned to Aaron. "_What is the status of the Strategic Ichor Reserve?_"

The Prime Minister was relieved to have some good news, and it showed in his voice. "_It's larger than it was before Katie's accident. As you know, she's been helping to rebuild the reserve since she came back. Apparently she is able to access the strength of your metasolenoid cells as well. Her Patronus now registers at over 1.4 million soul equivalents. We have enough ichor in reserve that we are now actively exporting it to other commonwealth colonies._"

Esdras nodded happily. "_Wonderful. The more food supplies there are available, the better our quarantine will be._" He turned to his subordinates and addressed them all. "_I want the chain of command for every office, military and civilian, to be reviewed and confirmed. We're going to have a lot of sick Dementors in a very short time and I don't want us to lose basic infrastructure._"

The three Dementors nodded sharply and saluted. They replied as one. "_Yes, Majesty._"

Esdras nodded and narrowed his hood to brood. "_This is going to be painful, but we will get through it._"

* * *

The doctor wore an Azkaban biohazard cloak. The black fabric blended seamlessly into gloved arms and a clear face shield. The bottom of the cloak was sealed and the whole garment had no air flowing in or out. He finished his check on the king and tapped the side of his hood, activating the communication charm. "_Well, you're running a temperature of twenty eight degrees Fahrenheit. It is official; you're in the first stage of the plague._" 

Esdras did not look well. He was floating lower than normal and, when he lay down on the cot, he began coughing violently and expelling alarming quantities of strange orange mucus. He looked up at the doctor and glared. "_Oh really now?_"

Katie thumped him softly on the shoulder. "_Don't blame him, Esdras; he's just doing his job._"

The king rolled over on the cot and grumbled softly to himself, allowing Katie and Madame Pomfrey time to talk to the cloaked physician. The school nurse looked at the bedridden Dementor curiously. "I admit, Dr. Payne, I'm completely unfamiliar with the Azkaban Plague. Could you tell me more about it?"

Dr. Tobias Payne nodded happily and replied in slow, careful English. "The plague is a viral pathogen with droplet contact and airborne transmission pathways. It presents in three stages. As you can see from His Majesty, the first stage manifests as violent coughing, a low float, production of orange mucus, and a low grade fever by Dementor standards. The second stage manifests as a total shut down of the float bladder system and a fever of thirty one degrees Fahrenheit. The final stage starts with the subject collapsing into unconsciousness and the fever spiking to thirty five degrees. The next morning, the patient wakes up feeling fine."

Pomfrey's eyes grew wide. "Thirty five degrees? That's dangerously high. Basal temperature for a Dementor is only twenty three degrees." She looked to the Dementor on the bed. "Can it be passed to mortal students?"

The Dementor shook his hood. "No, the plague is species specific. That is part of the reason why His Majesty wished to be quarantined here."

Katie nodded and rubbed Esdras' shoulder while he lay quietly. "Is it fatal?"

This question Esdras answered himself. "Immortality, Katie…" He rolled over and smirked. "I doubt it would be fatal if we didn't have that to rely on, though. It's more a nuisance than anything else. I caught the plague centuries ago when I was forty five years old. I'll get over it just like I did back then; but it's going to be rough going for a while."

The mortal nodded and smiled before kissing her love on the forehead. She then looked up to the doctor. "How long does it usually take to pass?"

Dr. Payne merely shrugged. "The time varies from Dementor to Dementor, it could be anywhere from a fortnight to a month or more. But you need not worry, he will get over it."

Madame Pomfrey nodded. "Should I limit Esdras' activities in any way?"

The Dementor shrugged. "Well, no Quidditch, but that shouldn't be a problem since there are no Ravenclaw games coming up. We usually do not limit activities aside from removing the patient from active duty and quarantining them. He can go about his normal routine as long as he feels able." At the nurse's nod, the doctor looked to his king and bowed. "_With Your Majesty's permission, I will be on my way. I will check up on you again in two days._"

Esdras waved the physician away. "_Thank you, doctor._" When the younger Dementor was out of the Hospital Wing, he sighed and looked at Katie. "I wish Transom hadn't come down with the plague. He treated me when I got it last time." His expression seemed to fall slightly. "And mom and dad looked after me, too…"

Madame Pomfrey, knowing her presence was not needed, quietly walked away from the pair. Katie, however, sat on the edge of Esdras' bed and took his hand in hers. "I will look after you, my love."

* * *

A long three weeks had passed, and Esdras felt no better. In fact, he felt even worse. Stuck deep in the second stage of the plague, the Dementor was forced to struggle, walking on his own two feet and leaning against the Glaive of Silence for support, regardless of the form he took. Today, in his mortal form, Katie walked slowly beside him as they headed to dinner. She watched as he leaned heavily against the ancient weapon turned staff. "_I don't see why this is so bad; you walk all the time when you're in mortal form._" 

Esdras sighed and looked to the mortal at his side. "_You don't get it. Even when I'm in my mortal form, I still have the internal organs of a Dementor, hence why I can float and fly. And I always rely on my float bladders to neutralize the weight of my supersolenoid organ._"

The mortal looked confused. "_How much does the supersolenoid weigh? How much do you weigh?_"

The Dementor smirked slightly. "_The average Dementor weighs around four hundred fifty pounds. Dementresses weigh a little less, maybe four hundred or so. I weigh about four hundred thirty pounds because I keep in shape by playing Quidditch._" At Katie's wide eyed expression, he expanded his answer. "_Three quarters of a Dementor's total weight is ichor, the rest is their body._"

Katie still looked shocked as she tried to recall everything she had ever read about the supersolenoid organ from the Dementor Medical Reference. "_But your supersolenoid only carries one liter of ichor at any given time. That's…_" She tried to do the math but gave up after a few seconds. "_That's incredibly dense._"

Esdras nodded. "_It is denser than any other naturally occurring substance. The weight wouldn't be such a problem if the plague weren't sapping my strength, too. As it is, it's hard to move around._"

The mortal nodded and wrapped an arm around his waist, helping him make the turn into the Great Hall. Soon enough, he was seated, the bench at the Ravenclaw table groaning in protest at the extra weight forced upon it. He gave Katie a smile of thanks as she sat down beside him and grabbed a roll. "_So what about the rest of Azkaban? How is the rest of the commonwealth doing?_"

The king shrugged. "_As well as can be expected for a kingdom stricken by a plague. I received a report from Aaron by vulture this morning. Apparently our virologists have confirmed that the source of the plague was Cyprus and that Stephanie was our index case, since all cases to date been traced back to there and they are now approaching the last stage. Otherwise, every other Dementor colony in the world is either in the first or second stage of the plague. I would imagine even the renegades, too._"

Katie let out a low whistle. "_That's terrible. I guess your quarantine procedures didn't do anything to help._"

Esdras shook his head. "_No, actually they did. It could have been a lot worse. You see, it's impossible to make a complete quarantine because food stores have to be shared between colonies during times like these._" At her confused look he pointed to his legs. "_We can't float, we can't feed._"

The mortal nodded in understanding, but before she could say anything else, they were interrupted by Harry pushing aside the first year sitting on the other side of Esdras and taking the seat. "Esdras, we need to talk."

The Dementor blinked dispassionately at the scarred mortal and sighed. "Unless you're here to cast me a Patronus or tell me Hermione has found a cure for the plague that has escaped over ten thousand years worth of Azkaban's best doctors, I doubt I'll be interested in what you have to say."

Harry ignored Esdras' attitude and continued on. "It's about Malfoy. Something is obviously up with him. We've managed to figure out that…"

Esdras cut the mortal off by bringing his napkin to his face and coughing loudly. As he withdrew it, the telltale orange mucus could be seen. The stricken king of Dementors stared at the mortal and sighed. "Harry, I'm sure Malfoy is up to something. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if he were involved in some sort of plot to betray us all. But I don't give a damn about Malfoy right now. I have a commonwealth of eight million Dementors stricken with a horrible plague. They are my first concern."

The mortal narrowed his eyes. "It's not like your plague is fatal. You'll be just fine."

The Dementor hissed angrily. However, before he could reply, Katie was at his side with a hand on Harry's shoulder. From the expression on Harry's face, it was obvious she wasn't being gentle as she pulled him from his seat. "Come on, Harry. Esdras has had a rough day and he's not feeling well. Why don't you talk to him later?" As she walked him away, Esdras could hear her voice drop dangerously, cutting off his protests. "You will if you know what's good for you…"

* * *

The next day found Esdras feeling even worse, a state he didn't even think was possible. He staggered through the halls of the castle and, by some miracle he attributed entirely to the gods of Azkaban, he made it to breakfast. As he sat at the table, he began to list back and forth. He nearly toppled over before he was stabilized by Katie, who struggled against his weight to keep him upright. She grunted as she pushed against him. "How are you feeling, love?" 

Esdras didn't have the strength to remember his English. "_Bad._"

Katie nodded and hugged him. "_Do you want to go to see Madame Pomfrey?_"

The Dementor nodded, almost face-planting into his pancakes. "_Yes._"

And so the pair began their long trek towards the Hospital Wing. Esdras nearly toppled over outside the doors of the Great Hall, but was stabilized at the last second. Katie was prepared to chalk this up to either good luck or a miracle before she caught sight of the redhead on the other side of the Dementor. Ginny looked across to Katie and smiled sadly. "Looks like you could use a little help."

The blonde sighed gratefully. "You have no idea." The trio continued on their way, and, by an entirely different miracle, they made it up the stairwell and into the hallway. There, they ran into Harry and Ron. Katie waved to the pair. "Happy birthday, Ron!"

The redhead in question perked and turned. "Romilda?" When he saw it was only Katie, he sighed. "Oh, hello Katie."

Esdras, barely coherent and one step behind the conversation, perked up. He labored for breath as he spoke, extending an empty hand towards Ron. In his mind, he held a small stone. "_The stone is permanent…mortal child…_"

Harry kept as tight a grip on Ron as Katie and Ginny had on Esdras. The scarred mortal met the two girls' curious expression with an answer. "Some birthday he's having. He managed to get into the Chocolate Cauldrons that Romilda Vane gave me a while back. They had a love potion in them." He sighed and pulled back on Ron, who was obviously trying to get back to the Gryffindor common room, or wherever Romilda was at that particular moment. "They had been sitting around for months. I don't even want to guess how strong the potion got during that time."

Katie's eyes shot up in surprise. "Are you taking him to the Hospital Wing, then?"

The scarred mortal shook his head. "No, I figure Professor Slughorn is as good a choice as any. Besides, I need to talk to him about some things."

The blonde nodded and again struggled to stabilize the swaying Dementor. Her voice was strained as she pushed against his weight. "We've got to get Esdras to the Hospital Wing. I think he's about to hit the final stage of the plague. At least that's what I hope; I can't imagine it getting much worse than this." She sighed and waved to her teammate. "Good luck."

Harry's voice called back. "You, too."

For an almost imperceptible moment, Harry and Ginny locked eyes. Then, the two groups began to move away. Ginny was left with a flush to her cheeks that hadn't been there before. In a rare moment of lucidity, Esdras spoke slowly. "_You will know…when the moment is right…Ginevra._"

Ginny flushed an even brighter red and readjusted her grip on Esdras. "_I have no idea what you mean._"

Katie sighed and began the struggle to get Esdras moving again. "_You know what he means, Ginny. And you know he's right._"

They let the subject drop as they began walking down the hall again. After a few minutes, Esdras sighed. "_I worry…about Harry…about them all. Malfoy…no good._"

Katie sighed. "_I know, love. But you have more important things to worry about right now. Your kingdom needs you right now, and you need your health. Besides, Harry and Ron and Hermione can handle Malfoy._"

Esdras nodded. "_Yes…but…but…_" He staggered. "_Oh gods…_"

The mortal girls could only watch helplessly as Esdras tipped forward and crashed, unconscious, to the ground.


	14. Permission

Monday again, and after a relaxing weekend, it's time for another chapter. This time, Esdras makes the necessary preparations.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful perrinette – The Dementors are definitely going through a spot of bad luck. Perhaps for Esdras, it should be 'Jamais trio sans quatre.' And yes, Harry and Ginny are definitely getting closer. Harry is definitely a prat (who is right), but it's sad because Harry, for all the growth he has done in the last few books, is still somewhat immature and wants what he wants right away. Esdras has to look at the big picture, so this naturally causes them to butt heads often.

To the oddly faithful buffalo1 – Behold, I am proud to bestow upon you the title of oddly faithful reviewer, for you review the odd chapters. Review with pride! You're right; Harry does need to get a clue. Like I mentioned above, I'm really trying to play on the differences between impatient Harry and immortal Esdras. It's been interesting to work on. And we were both partially right. It wasn't chocolate frogs or cauldron cakes, but chocolate caludrons. I fixed it.

To the ever faithful KRP – Rough trip, indeed. I can't imagine feeling that bad for three whole weeks only to end up collapsing face first from nine feet up. Immunity is answered in this chapter. And you have to figure that, just like the flu constantly mutates into new variants each year, so does the Azkaban Plague. But since Dementors are immortal, the plague mutates at a much slower rate, a new mutation every quarter millennia. So someone could be an asymptomatic carrier and still be alive 250 years later, the plague could mutate in them and cause havoc again. Viruses are sneaky things…

To the mysteriously charming NaginiFay – Good point, I think Hagrid would be the only one able to physically move Esdras after he fell. Although I bet Ginny and Katie could combine levitation charms and probably get Esdras to the Hospital Wing with minor effort.

To the ever faithful Snood – Like I mentioned to KRP, I think the best bet for how Stephanie got it is that the plague mutated in an asymptomatic carrier from the last pandemic. As Dr. Payne explained last chapter, the plague is spread by droplet contact (coughing or sneezing on someone) and airborne transmission (virus can stay in the air for long periods of time). Needless to say, it may not be fatal, but it's very contagious. Funny you should mention guys being babies during illness, wait till you read this chapter. Poor Ron and the love potion, so sad, yet so funny. And I figure ichor is so dense because it is made from souls and positive emotions. To compress such powerful things into a liquid, the liquid would have to have incredible properties. And I fixed the typos, thanks!

All the rest of y'all that haven't reviewed ought to consider it. It's an easy way to increase good karma. Plus, I enjoy hearing your opinions. So go ahead, press the blue button at the bottom of the screen.

And as usual, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 14 – Permission 

The Dementor awoke slowly, rolling over as he floated up to stretch his sore body. This action was met by a playful voice. "_I see someone is feeling better._"

Esdras illuminated his eyes and looked to the chair beside his bed. Katie, looking like she hadn't gotten any sleep the night before, sat smiling happily at him. He sighed softly. "_Please tell me you didn't stay up all night._"

Katie nodded. "_I didn't stay up all night; I did get some sleep around four or five in the morning when I rolled into bed with you._" At his disproving glance, she changed the subject. "_You're floating again, I take it you're feeling better?_"

The Dementor nodded happily and smiled as Madame Pomfrey approached her newly awakened patient. "I've never felt better."

The nurse, however, cast a dubious glance over him as she put a thermometer in his mouth and ran a triage spell. The results came back in soothing shades of green and she pulled the thermometer back out to read the result. "Twenty three degrees." She smiled and shook her head. "You Dementors…I'll never get used to treating you."

Esdras smiled kindly. "Perhaps not, but that doesn't mean that you don't do it well."

Pomfrey laughed quietly. "Thank you, Esdras, but flattery will not get you out of here any faster." At the Dementor's innocent look, she smiled. "You're free to go. And Katie, I recommend you get some sleep."

Katie nodded and rose from her chair, stretching her back as Esdras gathered his cloak. With a flourish, he donned the garment, took mortal form, and floated high into the air. However, from that position he could see one of the other occupants of the Hospital Wing. He floated down and glided towards him. "Ron?"

The mortal followed and nodded sadly. "Yes, Esdras. He was poisoned yesterday. Apparently someone had given Professor Slughorn a poisoned bottle of mead. He was the first to drink from it."

Esdras looked at the redhead in shock. "Is he alright?"

Madame Pomfrey had worked her way down the line of beds and joined them. She nodded quietly. "He's fine; he should wake up sometime today." She looked at Katie and spoke ironically. "His wasn't the worst injury we've had this year."

The Dementor nodded mutely and was still in shock as Katie pulled his hovering form into the hall. He shook his head slowly. "We just saw him yesterday. I was pretty out of it, but I remember that much at least."

Katie nodded. "Lavender went off the deep end about all this, naturally. Hermione, too, but she was much more subtle about it."

Esdras floated along beside her, his expression intense. "That is to be expected."

The mortal sighed and changed the topic to something lighter. "Well, you're over the plague and back on your feet so to speak." She smirked and swept a leg under his floating feet, causing Esdras to roll his eyes. "What do you want to do today?"

The Dementor indicated his day old clothes and smirked. "First thing, I need a shower and a change of clothes. Then, I'm going to go over to New Demnin. I'm immune to this strain of the plague now, so I can't be reinfected. If the people see that their king has gotten better, it can only help their spirits."

Katie nodded. "Good idea, I think I'll join you. I'll meet you in the Great Hall in half an hour."

* * *

True to form, a half hour later, the Dementor king was sitting in the Great Hall wearing jeans and a black hoodie with the crest of the royal house emblazoned upon it, eating a late breakfast with his girlfriend at his side. Even by normal Azkaban standards, Esdras ate more than normal this meal, a testament to how much energy the plague had sapped from him. When at last he was finished, he smiled brightly to the blonde who was patiently waiting for him. "Let's go." 

She grinned happily and promptly jumped on his back, not even waiting to clear the castle. In reply, the Dementor ignited his afterburners and sent the pair rocketing towards New Demnin with a shrieking wail. Katie laughed joyously from her perch on his back. "You missed flying, didn't you?"

Esdras laughed and did a few quick barrel rolls before a high velocity loop that made Katie lightheaded. "You have no idea."

The mortal hugged the Dementor tighter and sighed. "I wish I were a Dementor and could fly without a broom."

The Dementor replied without thinking. "That's possible; you'd just have to have a Dementor's child."

Katie giggled playfully and Esdras paled at what he had just said. The mortal, however, merely leaned in closer and whispered into his ear. "You'd have to marry me first, though. But they would look so cute if they had your eyes."

Esdras voice cracked as he replied. "They wouldn't have eyes, dear." He quickly changed the subject. "We're almost to New Demnin…"

The mortal nodded softly and lay closer to Esdras as he killed his afterburners and floated through the town's main entrance. Katie was met with a sad sight. The cavernous expanse of the town's main underground thoroughfare was almost completely deserted. Even though this part of the town was the uninfected section, only a few brave souls in quarantine cloaks floated around the once bustling town center. She gasped at the sight. "This is terrible!"

The Azkaban king took his natural form beneath her as he glided through the town. "Now do you understand why I've been so concerned? The plague may not be a fatal condition, but it has decimated our population. The only reason we're doing as well as we are is because we have your Patronus."

Katie smiled as they flew deeper into the town. "Well, I am thankful that your strength is able to manifest in me. The fact that I can provide so much energy for the people makes me feel useful."

Esdras nodded. "Of course you're useful." He navigated the pair through the quarantine barrier that magically separated the healthy half of the town from the stricken. "And you look good, too."

The mortal thumped him on the shoulder. "Flattery will get you nowhere you haven't already been before."

The Dementor laughed softly as he set them down in the middle of the town's North Radial Arm. They began to walk and float along, respectively. The mortal took the time to conjure her powerful Patronus for those in need while the king did his best to inspire his stricken people. Finally, they reached a well appointed apartment with a placard identifying it as the Reaping residence. Esdras knocked on the door and, after an abnormally long time, it opened to reveal the grounded form of Christine Reaping. She coughed softly. "_Majesty, you have healed._"

Esdras took his natural form and nodded before quickly slipping an arm around the Dementress, guiding her back into the house. "_Yes, just last night the fever broke. How are you and Aaron and the cloaklings?_"

Christine sighed. "_Calla has been all tears since she reached the second stage; I finally got her to sleep a few hours ago. Jacob has been handling it a little better, thankfully. Aaron, unfortunately…_"

She was interrupted by a miserable voice calling out. "_Honey, could you bring me some more tea?_"

The response was immediate, and it came from Katie. Her angry voice carried through the house. "_Aaron Martius Reaping, get your lazy ass out here and make your own tea. Your wife is just as sick as you._"

The reply was unfazed. "_The tea is in the cabinet over the stove, Katie._"

Esdras broke out laughing and waved Katie away, moving to make tea for his friend. Katie led Christine to the sofa and sat with her, the stricken Dementress perking up considerably at the sight of her plague free king. "_It's good to see you again, Esdras. I understand the need for quarantining yourself at Hogwarts so you could continue your studies, but still._"

The king nodded happily and finished brewing the tea. "_Well, as my father told me, it doesn't matter where you catch the plague, you'll still be just as miserable._"

As he left to take the tea to his friend, Christine coughed softly and turned to Katie. Her voice lowered conspiratorially. "_You must be glad that Esdras is well again. One month is a long time to go without._"

Katie blushed bright red. "_I don't know what you're talking about._"

Whether she did or did not know what the Dementress was talking about would remain unknown, for Esdras floated back into the living room, sipping the cup of tea he had made for Aaron. The Dementor king gestured over his shoulder to the bedroom. "_He hit the third stage. He'll be awake in the morning._"

* * *

The torchlight glittering off the bars of gold, silver, and platinum cast shimmering patterns on the wall of Vault 8 in Gringotts Wizarding Bank, the personal vault of the Royal House of Demnin. However, it was a large crate of diamonds with two Dementors elbow deep in it that provided the most brilliant illumination in the heavily protected underground room. The crate was labeled in careful Azkabaaner print "_Diamonds, colorless, flawless. 0.5-1.0 carat._" 

Esdras pulled out a particularly fine one and looked at it. "_How does this one look, do you think it's too big?_"

Aaron lowered his hood and peered carefully at the stone. "_No, it doesn't look too big, but I'm not a fan of the oval cut, myself. You should try something in a brilliant or radiant cut._"

The king nodded absently as he continued to root through the box of precious stones. It was a few minutes before he spoke idly. "_How is the plague progressing?_"

Aaron held up another stone and Esdras looked at it curiously before shaking his head. The prime minister tossed the stone aside before shrugging. "_Transom says that he expects us to be plague free in less than a week. All the other commonwealth colonies are either firmly entrenched in the second stage or just reaching the start of the third. The plague should be over worldwide by the end of the month._"

Esdras nodded and held up a beautiful, brilliant cut, three quarter carat diamond. "_That's very good news._"

Aaron nodded in approval. "_Hey, that's perfect. Does that mean we're done?_"

He was met with only laughter. "_No chance, my friend. We still have to look for a pair of fire emeralds._"

The king was met by grumbling from his old friend. "_I don't understand why I have to help you with all this. You're perfectly capable of finding the gemstones for her engagement ring on your own._"

Esdras turned and leveled his gaze on the complaining Dementor, laughing as he chided him. "_Funny, I seem to recall saying the same thing to you before you proposed to Christine, yet you dragged me along anyway. You owe me and you owe me big. Now shut up and help me find some fire emeralds._"

Aaron laughed softly and moved over to the crate that Esdras was digging through. The label on the side indicated that it held '_Fire emeralds, high glow, flawless. Less than 0.5 carat._'

The grumbling continued for another hour until Esdras held up two quarter carat fire emeralds. "_What about these two?_"

Shrugging, Aaron barely gave them a glance. "_They're fine, Esdras. Now can we go home? Christine is making meatloaf tonight._"

Esdras' hood perked at the mention of Christine's famous meatloaf, but he did not waver. "_No, look at these. Do they look the same?_"

Aaron made a grand show of inspecting the two stones before he placed them back in his friend's hand. "_They look absolutely identical. Not even a gemologist would be able to tell the difference between the two._"

There was a moment's pause as Esdras attempted to determine if his old friend was being serious or not until he finally relented. "_Alright then, we're done here. There's just one more thing I need._" Aaron's groan was cut short by the Dementor grabbing a single bar of platinum from a towering stack. "_I have to have something to make the ring out, don't I?_"

* * *

The mortals had been sent a letter telling them to expect company, so they were all gathered together in the living room, waiting patiently and listening to the wireless. At exactly nine o'clock, the time specified in the letter, there was a knock on the door. The matriarch of the house rose and went to the door. She called out to the person on the other side. "Who is it?" 

The voice that replied was familiar. "It is Esdras Demnin."

Elizabeth Bell smiled happily and thought of a security question. "What was Katie's first word to you when she woke up?"

Esdras replied immediately. "She simply said 'hi.'"

The door opened and Mrs. Bell gasped in surprise. Esdras floated in, dressed in his full naval dress uniform in his native form. On his waist he wore the Swords of Temporal Justice and Mercy and in his hand he carried the Glaive of Silence. He bowed politely. "A thousand blessings be upon this house, Elizabeth mashacordes Bell. My thanks for agreeing to see me so late in the evening."

Mrs. Bell simply nodded. "And a thousand blessings be upon the royal house, King Esdras corvades Demnin. Please, come into the living room. You said you had an urgent matter to discuss?"

The Dementor followed the mortal into the living room where the rest of the Bell family was waiting. Timothy and Eric Bell looked surprised at the full dress uniform and regalia of the Dementor king. Finally, Mr. Bell recovered and he gestured to a chair. "Please, have a seat. Can we get you something to drink?"

Esdras looked visibly nervous as he shook his hood. "No, thank you." There was a long pause before he spoke. "You'll have to forgive me. I am fairly well accustomed to most mortal traditions, but there are a few that I still do not know. I fear this is one of them."

Mr. Bell looked curiously from the Dementor to his family and back. His voice was calm and kind. "Take your time."

Finally, the Dementor began to speak, slowly searching for the right words. "Katie and I have been together for three years now, and soon we will both be graduating from Hogwarts. As a result, I have been giving a lot of thought to the future lately. I will be taking the throne and ruling over the Azkaban Kingdom. I am happy with my duty and responsibility and cannot wait to begin, but something is missing. I watch Aaron and his family and Malachi who has just proposed to Stephanie, and I realize what is missing in my life. I would like a queen…"

At this, Elizabeth gasped and clasped her hands together. "Oh, Esdras…"

Esdras held up a hand and quickly continued, his voice determined. "I am a good Dementor, I am strong and loyal and I will protect her and keep her safe, even at the cost of my own life. I will provide for her and be a good husband. She will never want for anything. Please, with your permission, I would like to marry your daughter if she will have me."

He was met with almost total silence. The only sound coming from the softly sobbing Elizabeth Bell. Mr. Bell, cradling his wife, finally spoke. "Well, I have to say that I somewhat expected this was what you were coming to talk to us about…"

As the Dementor quivered nervously under the scrutiny of the three mortals, Mrs. Bell regained her composure. "Esdras, you didn't have to ask us, but of course you have our permission."

Eric Bell rose and approached the Dementor, who quickly stood, towering over the mortal. The eldest Bell child regarded him carefully before extending a hand. The pair shook hands and the mortal spoke jokingly. "Of course, if you hurt her in any way, I'll have to kill you."

Esdras nodded solemnly. "If that is your custom, then I accept."

The mortal paled and laughed nervously. "Esdras, I was only kidding."

Mrs. Bell shooed her son away and swept the Dementor into her arms. "Katie is a very lucky girl to have someone as wonderful as you in her life. You make her very happy."

The Dementor could only nod and return the hug as Mr. Bell came up and clasped him on the shoulder. He spoke one simple phrase that was powerful enough to bring icy tears to the King of Azkaban's eyes. "Welcome to our family, son."


	15. Under Scrutiny

Friday again, time for the weekend and another chapter! This time, there's a new face at the Reaping family dinner table.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – Fortunately Esdras and Eric get along well; otherwise he might not have meant it as a joke. And the ring is definitely going to be a thing of beauty, wait till you see it. It was fun writing Aaron under the plague, because then you get to see him as a Dementor and not as a soldier. And look at it this way, the next morning Aaron will be the one taking care of the whole family and Christine will finally get a break. Katie would be able to fly if she had a Dementor child because she would turn into a Dementor herself. The explanation is mentioned in the third challenge chapter of GoA2. I'm glad you've enjoyed reading everything, but you're right. I'm definitely going to be glad for the break before HP7 is released!

To the ever faithful Maelys – On thing about Esdras is that he likes to do things properly. Thus, he would have to ask her parents. Katie's temper may flair, but I think she'll be appeased by the fact that Esdras has proposed. And yes, Esdras is definitely becoming a real part of the Bell family now, just as the Bells are becoming a part of the house of Demnin. As for the kids, goodness, that's years away!

To the ever faithful perrinette – Thank you, I put a lot of work into this chapter because both the actions and words are so important. Esdras only has one chance to ask for her hand, so he has to get it write. I think he did quite well.

To the ever faithful KRP – Yes, the plague is finally on the run, thank goodness. I like writing scenes between Esdras and Aaron because they are a riot together, like the twins with less distruction. The ring was definitely a lot of work, especially rummaging through crates of diamonds and fire emeralds all day and I think Flitwick is the natural choice for a ring maker, as he's already proven his skill with the rose. I don't think showing up at the Bells in full uniform was too much. You have to consider that he is trying to impress them. Even though he did talk to Ginny, there's a lot of stuff he still wouldn't know, and mortal marriage proposal traditions isn't exactly something you can find a book on. And I have a feeling you'll love the actual proposal.

For those of y'all who haven't reviewed, please do! I enjoy hearing from you and your reviews help make me a better writer. Also, reviewing helps create good karma. So go ahead, press the blue button at the bottom.

And as always, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 15 – Under Scrutiny 

Esdras waited patiently, hovering quietly in the Hospital Wing while Madame Pomfrey and Doctor Transom performed their many tests on Katie. Katie, however, was not so patient. She squirmed as they cast triage and diagnostic spells on her, the many readouts of the spells blending together in a strange, dual language, unintelligible blur. She let out a loud huff and then a groan. "Aren't you done yet?"

Dr. Transom turned his hood to his patient and would have rolled his eyes if he had eyes to roll. His voice was calm and level. "No, we're not done. And if you don't hold still this will take even longer."

Katie decided to change tactics and put on a sweet smile. "I was very glad when Esdras told me that you had recovered from the plague, doctor."

Michaelis, who after four centuries of medicine knew all the tricks, cut her off. "You're not going to be able to sweet talk your way back onto the pitch, Katie, so quit trying."

The mortal sighed and crossed her arms angrily. "But the Hufflepuff game is coming up and the team needs me. Harry's put McLaggen in for Ron and I don't trust the guy. There's just something off about him. Harry will need me out on the pitch since I have the most experience of anyone on the team."

Madame Pomfrey smirked. "Be that as it may, he may have to get on without you. If you're not well enough, there's no way I'm going to let you out onto the pitch. And you won't be able to bribe your way there, either."

Katie glared. "I wasn't going to bribe." She looked up to her floating boyfriend. "Esdras, can I borrow a bar of platinum? It's a gift for a friend."

The Dementor rolled over lazily from his position near the chandelier. "No bribes."

The mortal narrowed her eyes angrily. "Whose side are you on here?"

Esdras replied calmly. "My own."

Katie wisely remained quiet until the doctor and nurse were finished with their examination. As the pair walked to Pomfrey's office to discuss the results, she looked nervously up to her floating boyfriend. "Well, what do you think?"

The Dementor shrugged. "If you can play, you can play. If you can't, there will be a good reason for it." He locked eyes with her and held her gaze. "They are doing this for your own health and safety. You need to remember that you died. That's not the same as breaking a leg, you know."

The mortal sighed and rolled her eyes. "I came back to life, didn't I?"

She was met with a huff as the Dementor floated down to join her. "Where I come from, we call that a miracle. And I don't know about you, but I'd certainly like to see you alive for a long time."

Katie grunted an agreement and sat up when she realized the doctor and nurse were coming back to join them. However, it was obvious from their expressions that they were not the bearers of good news. Madame Pomfrey sighed sadly as she spoke to Katie. "I'm sorry, dear, but there's just no way I can agree to sign off on you playing in this game. You're healing up at an incredible rate, though, and I believe that can be attributed to your bond with Esdras."

Dr. Transom spoke encouragingly to the young mortal. "Don't worry; I have no doubt that you'll be ready in time for the Ravenclaw game. You'll be able to fly circles around them by that time."

Esdras looked hurt. "Hey, whose side are you on?"

The doctor laughed softly, using the king's words against him. "My own."

* * *

There were a few simple pleasures that Esdras liked in his daily routine, and they really were quite simple. All the Dementor wanted was a nice cup of green mint tea, a full belly, an uneventful daily report from Aaron, Katie at his side, and some peace and quiet. Esdras currently had almost all of that. He was sitting at the Gryffindor table with his cup of tea and Katie, trying to concentrate on both his second breakfast of stolen Gryffindor pancakes and the uneventful report from Aaron while Harry was talking his ear off. 

Potter was gesturing wildly. "Whatever Malfoy is doing, Crabbe has been acting as a lookout. By default, that means Goyle has to be doing the same."

Finally the Dementor had had enough and hissed softly, earning a cautious look from those within earshot. Esdras stared at the scarred mortal and spoke carefully. "Harry, as interesting as all your theories are I really do not have time to listen to any of this."

The mortal glared at the Dementor. "And why not?"

Esdras sighed and rubbed his hood, setting the daily report next to his breakfast plate. "Look, have you gone to Dumbledore with your concerns?" Harry nodded and Esdras continued. "Did he say anything?" The mortal shook his head and the Dementor sighed. "If Dumbledore doesn't see this as a situation worthy of concern, I certainly won't go against him. Besides, I have a commonwealth to look after. Reports from South America indicate a possible resurgence of the plague; I may have to order a quarantine of the entire continent."

Katie sighed and looked at the sheet of parchment between their plates. "At least the outbreak is isolated to the Machu Picchu colony in the Peruvian mountains, it looks like it should be easy to isolate. Continental quarantine may be unnecessary."

The Dementor arched a curious eyebrow at his companion. "And when did you become an epidemiologist?" He smirked and then sighed as he turned his attention from the report to the Daily Prophet. "At least the plague has caused the number of renegade Dementor attacks to drop in the last month."

Harry interrupted their conversation with an annoyed huff. "Look, Esdras, I don't want much, just one or two of your men to follow Malfoy around and see what he's up to. Your soldiers have the best security clearance in this castle, they can go everywhere. It would be perfect."

Esdras sighed, his voice laced with sarcasm when he spoke. "Sure, Harry, and where are they going to hide while they follow him around? Because you know a nine foot tall Dementor doesn't stick out like a sore thumb in this place."

Temporarily silenced, the mortal regrouped his thoughts. He perked slightly. "What about those special cloaks you have. There has to be some sort of invisibility cloak or something."

The Dementor groaned. "The Quicksilver cloaks are top secret military technology and I will not authorize their use for this situation. In all honesty, I probably shouldn't have used them for most of the situation I've used them for in the past. Besides, you've got Kreacher and that House Elf who likes you so much, what's his name? Why don't you get them to spy for you?"

At this point, Hermione, who had been completely silent, interposed herself into the conversation. "Absolutely not, Dobby is not…"

Groans from Harry, Ron, Esdras, and Katie cut her off. The blonde mortal glared across the table to her bushy haired housemate and spoke bitterly. "Don't you dare start about your silly little Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare. The House Elves are doing exactly what they want to do in life and who are you to stop them? Besides, there are a whole hell of a lot more magical creatures that are being treated unfairly. What about werewolves? Have you forgotten about Professor Lupin? And what about Dementors? Did you know that it's still illegal for a Dementor to marry a mortal? How's that for unfair treatment?"

Katie didn't wait for a response, instead opting to push her plate away and storm out of the Great Hall, leaving confusion in her wake. The Dementor blinked slowly and carefully began rolling up his parchment. "What she said." He floated up from the bench and stretched. "I'd better go and calm her down."

Esdras quickly floated off after Katie, catching up with her just outside the castle door. He floated quietly beside her and said nothing. Finally, Katie broke the silence. "_I guess I was a little too harsh on Hermione, wasn't I?_"

The Dementor shrugged. "_She has it coming to her with all her S.P.E.W. nonsense, I suppose. I doubt the backlash would be as severe if she weren't so forceful. But I'm more interested as to how you know so much about treaty restrictions for Azkaban marriages._"

The mortal blushed a bright red. "_Well…no reason…I just wanted to familiarize myself with the new treaty, so I read the whole thing. I just thought that that particular section was unfair…_"

Esdras nodded slowly. "_Well, you must have gotten your hands on one of the draft copies, because the version I signed had no such restriction._"

The Dementor flew away quickly enough to avoid discussion, but not so fast as to miss the ecstatic expression on Katie's face.

* * *

It was easily the most unusual feeling Katie had ever experienced. Katherine Elizabeth Bell, Gryffindor's premier chaser, sat grounded in the stands as she watched her team play Hufflepuff. Sitting beside her with one eye on the game and one eye on her, Esdras maintained a surprisingly firm grip on the back of her robes. He had been holding her in place ever since the first Hufflepuff goal when he realized no mortal would be able to handle her outbursts, as Jack Sloper's black eye could attest to. He also had possession of her wand after a failed attempt at summoning her robes and broom. Katie screamed in agony as Hufflepuff scored again. "Merlin and the gods of Azkaban condemn you, Dean! I could have made that shot with my eyes closed!" 

Esdras winced and rubbed his eyes as the Hufflepuff chasers ran the Quaffle up the pitch to score, virtually unchallenged. They easily overwhelmed Cormac McLaggen, who was standing in for Ron who was still in Hospital after his poisoning. The Dementor sighed as Gryffindor again attempted to make a run. "Okay, so I'm beginning to think that maybe Dr. Transom and Madame Pomfrey are wrong and that you should be playing."

Katie didn't take her eyes off the pitch, but still nodded furiously. "Finally you see my point. Now make yourself useful and get my robes and broom and give me back my wand."

The Dementor sighed. "No can do. I may think they're wrong, but I know they're right. If they say you're not well enough to play, you're not well enough to play."

The mortal screamed in frustration at the nearest chaser. "I will kill you, Robins! I'll Avada Kedavra your ass! I'm an Azkaban citizen and I can do it, too!"

Esdras blinked at Katie's steadily growing, and now lethal, aggression. "Katie, perhaps you should take a deep breath and calm down."

She turned to face him, he eyes flashing in fury. "Don't tell me my business, you immortal cloaked git." A deadly hiss from the Dementor brought the mortal back to earth. "I…I'm sorry, love."

He nodded and put his arm around her. "It's alright; I understand how frustrating this is." He turned to watch the match again and was appalled at what he saw. Finally, he vented his frustration by shouting out. "Dean, you suck!" Katie turned to look at Esdras with bemusement on her face and the Dementor merely shrugged. "Tell me I'm wrong. Besides, the only people doing any good out there are Harry and Ginny."

Katie nodded sadly. "This is true. But I doubt we'll be able to carry the day on those two alone."

Esdras nodded and winced as he watched the Gryffindor beater Peakes attempt to strike a Bludger towards the Hufflepuff chaser squadron, only to have it go horribly awry and almost unseat Ginny from her broom. The Dementor sighed. "You've got to be kidding me…"

What happened next shocked everyone. On the pitch, in full view of everyone, Cormac rushed forward from the hoops and grabbed the bludgerbat from Peakes' hand. The words that followed were unintelligible from the distance they were seated, but it was clear that Cormac was unhappy with the Beater's performance. The result was Cormac making a swing for the Bludger, only to miss and firmly impact Harry's head. As the Gryffindor Seeker fell to the ground, Katie cried softly, turning to bury herself into Esdras' cloak. Her voice was a forlorn cry. "You've got to be kidding me…"

* * *

Esdras had been detained by Aaron on the way back to the castle after the game, so he returned Katie's wand to her and told her he would stop by the common room when finished. Thankfully, the prime minister was able to pass on quite possibly the only good news of the day. So it was that the King of Azkaban happily floated his way to the portrait hole of the Gryffindor common room. He showed the Fat Lady his military identification and he was granted access. As he glided inside, he was struck by the fact that he had seen happier faces on prisoners in the supermaximum security wing in Azkaban Prison after feeding time…for the guards. 

He made his way over to the couch near the fireplace and tapped Katie on her shoulder. He put on his best smile for her. "Come on, you want to get dinner?"

Katie sighed and looked up at him. Her voice was as emotionless as her expression. "Dinner won't be for another hour."

The Dementor smiled. "Not here. Aaron wants us to come over for dinner tonight. Apparently, Sasha has been dating someone for a few weeks now and she is finally bringing him over for dinner tonight. Aaron wants the whole family to meet him, by extension that means us. And of course Jacob and Calla will expect you there."

The mortal's forlorn expression broke to reveal the first hints of a smile. "Well, I suppose I can't disappoint the cloaklings." She paused and looked curiously up at him. "Am I even allowed outside the castle without approval from Dumbledore?"

Esdras nodded and motioned for her to join him, leading her to the portrait hole. "I did take the liberty of asking him first, but otherwise, yes. You're an officer of the Azkaban Navy. Officially, your duty station is here at Hogwarts. If ordered, you are to report anywhere your commanding officer tells you. I am your commanding officer, and I'm ordering you to New Demnin for dinner."

Katie's hints of a smile broke into a full grin. She hopped up onto his back and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Well, lead on, Majesty."

The Dementor took off down the hall, eschewing the problematic stairwell for a nearby open window. Clear of the castle, he ignited his afterburners and jetted across the lake to the main entrance to the Dementor town. Within a few minutes, they were passing into the expansive underground structure. Esdras smiled at the activity that proceeded on the cavern floor below. "It's good to see this place back up and running again."

The mortal nodded and looked over his shoulder. "It looks a right sight better than the last time I was here." She pointed to a small wine shop in the center square. "Do we need to bring anything with us?"

Esdras shook his head as he made the turn into the North Radial Arm. "No, Sasha is taking care of everything tonight. I think she really wants us all to be impressed."

A few moments of flight later and Katie found herself engulfed in a swirling mass of tiny cloakling cloaks as the Reaping children affectionately greeted her outside their home. Calla latched onto her neck and spoke happily. "_Katie, Aunt Sasha has brought a boy home._" She giggled softly. "_Just like King Esdras brought you home._"

The Dementor in question plucked the small child from the mortal's neck and spun her around, eliciting a happy laugh. He held her hood to hood and spoke kindly. "_What have I told you, little one? You don't have to call me king or majesty or anything like that._"

Calla nodded quickly. "_And you told me that you're my godfather and that that's almost as good as family._"

The cloakling found herself lifted into familiar arms. Aaron, balancing Jacob on his shoulders, carried her along as they proceeded into the house. "_Esdras is more than just a godfather to you two. He's more like an uncle._"

Jacob looked down from his high perch. "_Does that make Katie our aunt?_"

Esdras laughed softly at this. "_Not yet, child. Not yet._"

The cloaklings were prevented from asking any further questions by the group's entrance into the Reaping family living room. A Dementor in a freshly pressed uniform cloak with lieutenant insignia snapped sharply to attention and saluted. He had been sitting next to Sasha Reaping, who quickly floated over to her brother and her godfather and pulled them over by their hands. "_Brother, Esdras, Katie, please meet my boyfriend, Lieutenant Jacob Torrent. Jacob, this is my brother Prime Minister Aaron Reaping, my godfather King Esdras Demnin, and my mortal friend Captain Katie Bell._"

Esdras, Aaron, and Katie all returned the young lieutenant's salute and Esdras, being the highest ranking officer, spoke calmly. "_As you were, lieutenant. And please, Sasha, no ranks tonight._"

Katie looked curiously to the new Dementor. "_You look familiar, Jacob. Where have we met before?_"

The lieutenant relaxed slightly as the two admirals went looking for something to drink. "_I was a member of the 313__th__ Training Division, the division that held of the Death Eaters off during the Azkaban Prison Riot, ma'am. We met briefly when His Majesty instated me and my colleagues into the Fourth Fleet._"

The mortal smiled brightly. "_Of course, now I remember. You are a hero, then._"

Torrent's hood dropped slightly. "_No, my lady, I am not. A Death Eater managed to decapitate me only a few seconds into the battle. I did nothing heroic and I was unable to protect my friends._"

Katie regarded the Dementor calmly. "_First, you can call me Katie. And second, you stood fast against your enemy; that is a mark of heroism. It does not matter that they disabled you so quickly in the battle. I would be proud to fight alongside you._"

Jacob nodded, his voice grateful. "_Thank you, Katie._"

It was then that Jacob was approached by the smaller Jacob. The young cloakling looked curiously at the Dementor. "_We have the same name. Why are you called Jacob?_"

Torrent floated down to kneel next to the cloakling. "_I was named after my grandfather. His name was Jacob Torrent as well._"

As the eldest cloakling nodded, the youngest cloakling also approached. Calla floated around Torrent's head, curiously regarding him. "_Do you love my Aunt Sasha? Are you going to marry her?_"

Katie hid her smirk as she watched the young lieutenant try to answer the child's questions.


	16. Ultimate Defense

Monday again, hope your weekend was good. Here's another chapter to sweeten your week. This time, we get to see Azkaban cloak science at its best.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Maelys – Fortunately this new treaty is less restrictive than the old one. However, from how Esdras has used treaty law to his advantage in the past, it makes you wonder if the Dementors who signed it didn't plant those loopholes themselves.

To the ever faithful perrinette – Everyone loves the cloaklings; they're good kids, after all. Quidditch games are always hard to write, even more so when you're not writing the action from the inside, so I'm glad it turned out well. I'm glad you're enjoying things so far!

To the oddly faithful buffalo1 – The most interesting thing about the whole HP story is that you have no idea who will and will not be important in the books to come. I try to do the same thing with my story, glad to see that it's working. And on the cauldron mistake, look at it this way, we were both half right. But yes, blame it on the toad.

To the ever faithful KRP – Ironically enough, it was your review that reminded me I had to post today. Thanks! Esdras is hinting his intentions for sure; call it testing the waters if you will. Yup, her first (and last) game will be against Esdras, but like they say, all is fair in love and war (and Quidditch).

To the ever faithful Snood – I fixed the typo. I'm glad one of us is paying attention to these things! About the treaty, you have to remember that when the treaty was written, it was designed to virtually subjugate Dementors. Hence, by removing any way that they could be come proper members of society (marriage), mortals only tightened their hold on the cloaked kind. A rant against SPEW has long been necessary. Too many have put up with it for too long. Who better than Katie to deliver it? Now, about Dementor breeding, it all depends on the form the Dementor is in. The Azkaban gods decreed that if a Dementor breeds while in Dementor form, the child and both parents will be Dementors (that way, the family will all have Dementor lifespans). If a Dementor breeds while in animagus form, the child and both parents will be that form (again, so they will all have complementary lifespans). In this manner, families are always preserved. Hope that clears things up!

All the rest of y'all out there should review. It's good, good for you, and produces good karma. Plus, you can get any lingering questions answered. And besides, your reviews help make me a better writer. So go ahead, press the blue button at the bottom.

And as always, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 16 – Ultimate Defense 

The books were piled in stacks over the library table and Katie, to her credit, was trying her best to distract attention away from them. "Ron and Lavender got into a fight in the common room the other day. It seems there's trouble in paradise."

Esdras merely looked up and arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Well, when your relationship is built upon imitating the most feared weapon in a Dementor's arsenal, it's only a matter of time, I suppose. Now, let's get back to studying."

Katie groaned and collapsed on the pile of books, nearly toppling over a stack of Potions texts. The pair had been working to bring Katie back up to speed on the NEWT level material she had missed during her three month absence. The plague had prevented them from working on it until now and, to be honest, Esdras was having a hard time getting her to concentrate. Katie looked up and gave him her best smoldering glance. "Isn't there something else we could be doing now, my king?"

The Dementor sighed and reorganized the stack of textbooks beside her. "Look, darling, I know this isn't exactly the most fun in the world and I'd love nothing better than a romp in the Room of Requirement myself, but we've got to get you caught up on all the stuff you've missed. Now let's try to get through a few more chapters in Potions and then we'll switch to Defense before we head down to dinner."

The mortal merely scoffed. "Oh come on. One of those Defense chapters is the one on Dementors. We can skip that one entirely. I think I know everything I need to know about them by now."

Esdras merely shook his head. "Not quite, you know the truth. For the NEWT exam, you'll have to know all the Ministry lies as well." At Katie's look of horror, Esdras softened some and changed the topic. "What did you think of Jacob Torrent at dinner the other night?"

Katie smiled. "He's very nice and he certainly has the right credentials to be dating the goddaughter of the king." The last part was said with a hint of humor, but she quickly became serious again. "And besides, Sasha is positively enchanted with him and vice versa. You saw how well they got along together. They're such a nice looking couple."

The Dementor nodded mutely. "I don't know, Katie. She's my goddaughter and I promised her parents that I would look out for her." He sighed softly and returned to the textbooks. "But she is an adult, and Jacob has proven himself to be a competent officer and a fine, upstanding Dementor. But I swear to the gods, if he makes her cry, he will know no end of suffering."

Katie reached out and put her hand on Esdras', squeezing it lightly. "You know as well as I do that that won't happen. He doesn't strike me as the type who would take a relationship lightly. He seems to take his time with Sasha almost as seriously as his duty to Azkaban, and when you consider the battle he faced at the prison, that means something."

Esdras smiled slightly. "I suppose. Besides, if I can't trust a member of the Thirteenth Infantry, who can I trust?" He indicated the books. "Now, back to potions."

Katie, sensing the imminent return of studying, used the only other distraction she had left in her arsenal. "Ginny got into a fight with Dean the other day, as well."

The change was instant, as Katie had known it would be. Ginny was easily the second closest mortal to Esdras, second only to Katie, and she knew that he was as protective of her as he was of his godchildren. Esdras looked up and stared intently at the mortal. "Explain what happened, why, and why I should not destroy Dean."

* * *

Esdras groaned and resisted the urge to bang his head against the Gryffindor table. As usual, the Dementor had finished his meal and conversations at his own house table and had floated over to Gryffindor to mooch some extra food and be closer to Katie. This, however, meant that he was also subject to Harry's constant ranting that Draco Malfoy was the ultimate source of all evil within Hogwarts. Whereas Esdras was certain this was the case, the lack of solid evidence still prevented him from action. 

As the meal ended, Esdras and Katie left the table hand in hand and proceeded into the Entrance Hall towards the door. Harry followed along and was going on about the reports he had received from his spies, Dobby and Kreacher. "Well, its obvious Malfoy has been using the Room of Requirement, and Crabbe and Goyle have been Polyjuicing themselves so they can stand guard for him."

The Dementor nodded and sighed. "I can't argue the facts, but you still have no proof that Malfoy is up to something dangerous. I want to help you, and I want to knock that bastard down a few notches, but without proof, my hands are tied."

Harry glared at Esdras. "Well if you would assign a few of your troops to help trail him, we might be able to find some of that precious proof that you need."

Esdras shook his head. "No can do. I don't have the personnel to spare and you know it. Azkaban cannot repay a debt at the cost of the loss of her security or the security of those who depend upon her."

The mortal scoffed. "You have over three quarters of a million troops under your command. I refuse to believe that they're all busy all the time."

The king of Dementors stared icily at the bespectacled mortal. He lowered his voice and spoke sharply. "Have you forgotten that there's a war going on? The only thing keeping renegade Dementor attacks down is the fact that I have my troops out on active patrol. Do you have any idea how many skirmishes we've been in so far? If they weren't on constant patrol, there would likely be Dementor related deaths every day in both the magical and Muggle world. Then there are the divisions providing protection to the Order of the Phoenix. The Order members are good, but not that good. We've already lost a few people, but I guarantee you that there would be a hell of a lot more casualties if they weren't being looked after by my men. How would you feel if we lost Tonks, or Lupin, or Moody, or maybe the Weasleys?"

Harry paled slightly, but recovered enough to glare at Esdras before turning to face Katie. "You're in the navy, too. Can you do anything?"

Katie stared at the scarred boy in total shock. "My gods, you really don't get it, do you? There are more important things going on in the world right now. We're talking about the protection of hundreds of millions of people here!" She narrowed her eyes dangerously, causing the Harry to take a step back. "Now you listen and listen well. I have ultimate loyalty to Esdras as my commander, my king, and my love. I swore my allegiance to him and his word is my law." She softened slightly and sighed. "I can't help you, Harry. I have no troops under my command, and even if I did, I would obey all orders handed down by my superiors and you already know their opinion."

The scarred mortal glared at the pair and turned quickly on his heel, leaving them alone by the castle door. Esdras sighed. "_I wish I could do more to help him, but I'm dangerously overstretching my deployments as it is. We figure the only reason there haven't been more attacks is because Sidara is either having the same deployment problems or doesn't realize how bad our situation is here._"

Katie nodded and hopped on her lover's back before he floated out the door. "_If we can't help now, we'll just have to be ready for anything in the days to come, I suppose._" After a few minutes flight she smiled and hugged him tight. "_Now, why are you taking me to the command bunker again?_"

Esdras grinned and floated down towards the hidden entrance. "_I have a present for you._"

The mortal smiled brightly as they descended through the darkness and into the comfortably lit bunker. "_I like presents._"

The Dementor nodded and led her down the familiar corridors to the Research Sector. There, they were met by Admiral Kirin, who had a fine black cloak draped over her arm. She saluted casually. "_Majesty, Lady Katherine, thank you for coming over this evening._"

Esdras and Katie returned the salute and the flag admiral looked to the garment that the research admiral carried. "_It is ready, then?_"

Kira nodded happily and handed the cloak to Katie. The mortal shrugged out of her old cloak and slipped the new one on. It was an assault cloak with the silver band that indicated her status as nobility and silver vultures on the shoulders to indicate her rank as captain. However, once she closed the clasp, Esdras summoned a mirror and held it in front of her. Katie gasped at her reflection. The irises of her eyes were now pure white. She looked to the two Dementors. "_What kind of cloak is this?_"

Esdras drew his wand. "_I wanted you to have some extra protection in the event that something should happen and no one is around. You are now the proud owner of the only mortal-grade Castcloth cloak in the world._" He leveled his wand at her. "Avada Kedavra."

Katie saw the bright green flash of light and felt the rush of wind, but was only knocked back a few steps by the killing curse. When she opened her eyes, she let out a laugh. "_Do it again!_"

Kira stayed Esdras' wand and spoke sternly to him. "_Majesty, the Quicksilver Projects are not toys. Besides, her cloak is for emergency use only._" Esdras had enough sense to look properly chastised and the research admiral turned to face the mortal. "_This cloak is one of a kind and attuned to your soul and your soul alone. The Castcloth spells won't work for anyone else._"

The mortal captain nodded and quickly saluted. "_Thank you, Admiral Kirin. I will use it well._" She smiled brightly and spun, the fabric billowing out around her. "_It even looks good, too._"

* * *

The flight back to the Gryffindor common room was uneventful, and as they entered through the window, Esdras was immediately set upon by an origami crane. The Dementor nimbly grabbed it from midair and unfolded it, scanning the document. Katie watched as his eyes grew wide. "What is it?" 

Esdras switched to Azkabaaner for privacy. "_An urgent message from Dumbledore. He has vital information for me. He has already taken the liberty of summoning the other Azkaban ministers._" He looked to Katie and was deep in thought for a few seconds. Finally, he seemed to come to a decision. "_Captain Bell, you will accompany me immediately._"

Katie nodded quickly and followed Esdras through the portrait hole. Within seconds, she was securely on his back again and the pair floated down the stairwell and down the hall to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle was standing aside, and floating quietly beside the gargoyle was Aaron. The prime minister glided forward as they approached, his voice betraying his nerves. "_Esdras, Katie, it took you long enough. You're the last ones to arrive. Everyone from Malachi to Kira is here._"

The royal Dementor looked surprised. "_How the hell did you all get here so fast?_"

Aaron shrugged and floated up the moving staircase. "_We used the Floo. You were still flying across the lake when we got the messages from Dumbledore. We've been waiting for you for a few minutes._"

Esdras grumbled and followed his friend, noticing that the gargoyle quickly sealed up the entrance as soon as they passed by. It took only a few seconds for them to reach the office and as soon as the door was closed, Dumbledore looked up from behind his desk at the new additions. His voice was cautious. "_Esdras, do you believe it is wise that Lady Katherine be privy to what I am about to tell you?_"

The Dementor King nodded. "_I believe so, Headmaster. Katie is as much a naval officer as any Dementor here and her relationship with me puts her in a most precarious place. She deserves to know exactly what she's up against._"

Dumbledore considered this for a second, his blue eyes examining the mortal dressed in a captain's cloak. Finally, he nodded. "_Very well, then. To put it succinctly, Harry has managed to complete his mission. He has provided us with Professor Slughorn's memory of Tom Riddle's inquiries about Horcruxes._"

Every hood in the room rose in surprise, but Katie looked on curiously as all this was completely new to her. "_What is a Horcrux?_"

Michaelis Transom responded. "_A Horcrux is a soul fragment which is stored in a physical object. In the event of death or other catastrophic soul loss, the Horcrux can be activated and used to supplant the destroyed soul component. In this manner, the creator of the Horcrux can essentially gain immortality._"

Kira nodded. "_Horcruxes are an entirely mortal construct; Dementors have no need for them because of our provisional immortality. Their fabrication is incredibly complex and involves highly advanced Dark magic. The soul first has to be fragmented. The only way to do this is by committing murder. Then any number of fragments can be stored in physical objects using a series of spells. In this manner, the soul fragments will remain safe and can be accessed no matter what happens to the physical body._"

Katie looked sick at the knowledge of this topic. "_I'm sorry I asked._"

Dumbledore nodded quietly. "_The subject is, of course, banned here at Hogwarts. However, we now know that Tom Riddle managed to find out about them during his years here._"

Esdras turned to face Katie. "_Dumbledore has been working with Harry since the start of the year in an attempt to familiarize him with Voldemort's history. He has been briefing us as well, since there will likely come a time when our battles will cross paths._"

Katie nodded slowly. "_Since Voldemort has control of the renegade Dementor faction, it is reasonable to assume that we will have to face them and Voldemort at the same time._" She smiled slightly. "_Become the enemy you fight, defeat his weakness within yourself, and surely your enemy will fall before you._"

Aaron looked impressed. "_Someone's been reading Sachiel III's 'Science of Warfare and Battle Tactics.'_"

The mortal grinned happily. "_You know, just a bit of light reading when I'm not studying._"

Esdras smirked, his voice playfully sarcastic. "_Sure, the ultimate work of Azkaban military theory is light reading. When did you become Hermione again?_"

Katie thumped Esdras on the arm and turned her attention to Dumbledore, who was enjoying the show. When he realized they were ready, he gestured to the Pensieve in the corner of the room. "_I believe we should watch the memory._"

The Dementors and mortal gathered around the glowing bowl and stuck their heads in to watch the memory. In short order, the truth was learned. The young Riddle sought and obtained the knowledge of the forbidden topic from a reluctant Slughorn. When the memory was over, they were released and floated around the room in shock. Esdras was the first to speak. "_Seven? So that means there are six Horcruxes?_"

The headmaster nodded quietly. "_However, we know that two are already destroyed. Harry had already destroyed Tom's school diary the year before you arrived and I have personally seen to the destruction of the Gaunt family ring._" Dumbledore carefully withdrew his blackened, withered right hand from the sleeve of his robe. "_As I'm sure you already know…_"

Katie, having seen the wounded extremity at the start of the year, did not flinch at the sight of it. Esdras merely nodded. "_I have noticed since the start of the year that your arm no longer glows. I figured you would come to me with the explanation when the time was right._"

Michaelis, on the other side of the room, nodded quietly. "_I also noticed it the day we arrived here. I've been looking through every reference on mortal healing that I know of. I have so far been unable to find a way to restore your arm, but I have not yet given up._"

Dumbledore smiled slightly. "_I thank you for your concern, but at present there are more important things for us to worry about._" He regarded the Dementors for a second, and then turned his attention to Katie. "_Lady Katherine, you are the only one who does not know the entire story behind Tom Riddle. I imagine that Esdras will tell you everything, but I must ask that you keep this knowledge secret._"

Katie nodded quickly. "_Yes, headmaster._"

The wizened wizard nodded in reply and rose from behind his desk. He suddenly looked very old and tired. "_Well, if you all will excuse me, it has been a long day and I believe a good night's sleep is in order._"

* * *

Over the next few days, Esdras carefully and patiently explained to Katie the long, slow rise of Tom Marvolo Riddle into the Dark Lord Voldemort. He even borrowed Dumbledore's Pensieve and showed her the various memories that the headmaster had collected, from the Parseltongue filled Gaunt memories to the memory of Hokey, the unfortunate house elf of Hepzibah Smith. The Dementor watched somberly as, with memory after memory, Katie became colder and quieter. It pained him to have to introduce the truth to her in such a manner, but she was a captain of the Azkaban Navy and would soon become a full fledged member of the Order of the Phoenix. She needed to know. 

Presently, the Dementor was on a different mission altogether. The news of Draco Malfoy's hospitalization was common knowledge now. Moaning Myrtle had done her best to spread the news that it had been Harry who had put the Slytherin there with, interestingly enough, a Dark spell. Esdras shook his hood sadly as he glided across the ceiling; Katie had told him the punishment Snape had given Harry, detention every Saturday until the end of the year. With Harry unable to play Quidditch, that meant Ginny would be Gryffindor's Seeker in the upcoming game. The Ravenclaw team, remembering last year's game, was in an uproar and there was to be a strategy meeting in an hour. Esdras would be there in time, but first he had something to take care of.

The Dementor glided stealthily along the ceiling and into the Hospital Wing. Madame Pomfrey was in her office taking care of paperwork. Esdras cast a silencing charm on the doorway and proceeded down the lines of beds. As he glided, the lamps extinguished and the windows frosted. He had removed his Mark Thirteen inhibition spells. He glided down from the ceiling to rest at the foot of one bed. The freezing temperatures woke the occupant immediately. As the blonde struggled to see through the darkness, he was met by an icy cold hiss. "Behold the avatar of your doom, mortal."

Draco Malfoy turned his head towards the voice. "You! What the hell are you doing here?" He looked towards the nurse's office. "Madame Pomfrey! Help!"

Esdras shook his hood. "She is unable to hear you, mortal. You will answer my questions if you wish to survive."

The mortal struggled to get out of bed and was instantly hit with a Body-Bind Curse. Still, the mortal remained defiant. "You don't frighten me. If you were going to do anything to me, you'd have done it long before now. I know all about your Azkaban Laws. You're powerless to do anything to me without proof."

The Dementor remained unfazed. "What is your purpose in the Room of Requirement?"

Malfoy smirked. "Go to hell."

Esdras raised his wand. "Crucio." The mortal's screams echoed through the Hospital Wing. When they died away, the Dementor spoke quietly. "Perhaps I am powerless by the laws of Azkaban, but treaty law still reads that I have the ability to kill you whenever I desire. Now listen and listen well, mortal child. I know you are up to something and you will only meet your death faster if you continue. Give up while you can. This is the word of the King of Azkaban. Heed it well."

There was silence and the mortal struggled in the darkness to hear, whether it was the sound of footsteps or the horrible rattling breath of a Dementor. Draco Malfoy was unclear as to exactly when light and heat returned to the room, but one thing was for sure, the mortal did not sleep well that night.


	17. King's Gambit

Once again it's Friday, and I hope everyone had a better week than I. Regardless, here's a chapter for you all. This time, the ultimate question of ultimate destiny.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the oft hidden, but nonetheless charming NaginiFay – I don't think he's too quick to pull out the Crucio. You have to consider that someone like Malfoy will only respond to power and intimidation. Esdras used scare tactics and pain, effective weapons given the target.

To the ever faithful perrinette – Katie's role in the Azkaban Navy will become clear in the last few chapters. Sufficed to say, with what has happened in the last few chapters and her rank as a command officer, her role will be very important.

To the ever faithful Snood – They were able to get the cloak to work only for Katie because Esdras holds part of her soul, so they just used that to make the cloak. Notice that only the high level Dementor officials know about the Horcruxes. Their role has yet to be written, but they could possibly be very useful in identifying/destroying them. I think if Esdras mentioned anything to Harry about Malfoy now, it would only make Harry more irritated because only now is he doing something after so many months. Alicia and Angelina's absence can be explained because most scenes between Esdras and Katie (especially the romance and action scenes) involve just the two of them. It was a space and time saving move on my part to not include them as much, so you can read between the lines to say that Katie spent all the time she didn't spend with Esdras with the girls, but you get the point. And I definitely don't mind you pointing out typos. Otherwise, how would I fix them?

To the ever faithful Maelys – The Dementors who worked on the treaty were very smart. The mortals who signed it probably thought they had the Dementors cornered, but the cloaked kind pulled a fast one on them. I'm glad you mention Harry's youth and immaturity. I'm really trying to highlight the differences between Esdras and Harry in this story, leading up to this book's conclusion. And you have to realize that Esdras wants to help, and has openly agreed that Malfoy is most likely up to something. But Esdras can't help because he has to look at a much larger picture, a picture on a global scale. That's very frustrating to be unable to help someone, not because you don't want to, but because you can't. The Malfoy obsession does not annoy Esdras, just Harry's insistence and inability to accept that Esdras cannot help him. I hope that makes clears things up. When you look at the situations that both of them are in, I think pity is a very good word.

To all the rest of y'all who haven't reviewed, please do. I would greatly enjoy hearing your thoughts and opinions on this and all my previous stories. Plus, reviewing is also a good source of karma. So go ahead, press the blue button at the bottom of the page.

And as always, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 17 – King's Gambit 

The Dementor had a vague sense of déjà vu.

Esdras waited patiently, hovering quietly in the Hospital Wing while Madame Pomfrey and Doctor Transom performed their many tests on Katie. Katie, however, was not so patient. She squirmed as they cast triage and diagnostic spells on her, the many readouts of the spells blending together in a strange, dual language, unintelligible blur. She let out a loud huff and then a groan. "Aren't you done yet?"

Dr. Transom turned his hood to his patient and would have rolled his eyes if he had eyes to roll. His voice was calm and level. "No, we're not done. And if you don't hold still this will take even longer."

From his position near the ceiling of the Hospital Wing, Esdras glared quietly at the still bedridden Draco Malfoy. When he had the mortal's attention, he drew his finger slowly across his neck. The mortal shivered in horror and pulled his blanket up over his head. Esdras smirked to himself and glided back down as the doctor and nurse walked to Madame Pomfrey's office to discuss the results. As he touched down, it was obvious that Katie was nervous, so he placed his hand on her shoulder. "_What's wrong, my love?_"

Katie looked up and placed her hand on his. She smiled slightly and sighed. "_This is the last game of the year, my last chance to play for Gryffindor. It's your last game, too. After this, you'll go on and rule your kingdom with a fair and steadfast hand and I…_" She steeled herself and looked into his eyes. "_And I will hang up my gloves and broom and pursue a job in the Ministry's Dementor Liaison Office._"

Esdras stared in wide eyed shock at her and shook his hood quickly. "_No. No, no, no. No. You've always wanted to play professional Quidditch and you're going to. You're incredible on the pitch. You could play anywhere and they'd be lucky to have you._"

The mortal smiled sadly. "_Times change, priorities change. We don't live in the same world we did when we first started dating._"

The Dementor cut her off quickly. "_And we won't always live in this world, either. You have your best years ahead of you, and this war isn't going to last forever. You should do what you want while you can. How will you feel when the war is over and you're stuck in the Dementor Liaison Office and not playing Quidditch?_"

Katie smiled. "_So long as you're with me, I'll be just fine._"

Esdras sighed. "_Look, just promise me you won't hang your gloves up right away. At least play for a few years while you wait and see how things turn out._" He smirked. "_Have a little faith that the Order, Harry, and your boyfriend can save the world._"

The mortal grinned at this and pulled him down to kiss him. Her affections were interrupted by a stern cough. The pair looked up to see that Dr. Transom and Madame Pomfrey had returned. The mortal nurse wore an unreadable expression and the Dementor doctor's hood was unexpressive. Katie looked nervous. "Well?"

The nurse sighed. "Well, the good news is that the lingering spell damage has been healed."

Dr. Transom nodded. "We believe that the continued link between your soul and Esdras' soul is responsible for this. There's no other plausible explanation for how such massive damage could be completely cleared in so little time."

Esdras did a double take. "Wait…you said completely cleared. As in it's completely gone?"

Katie sat up, wearing her hopes and dreams on the sleeve of her robes. "So can I play? It's the last game of the season, I have to play. I want to play against Esdras. Please, you have to tell me I'm in the game."

The nurse, never one to see her patients beg, smiled softly. Dr. Transom gave an enthusiastic nod. Together, they spoke as one. "You're in the game."

* * *

As the days counted down to the big Ravenclaw/Gryffindor match, house loyalties were increasingly on display. Signs with slogans either for or against a particular team were becoming increasingly common in the hallways of Hogwarts and Filch was constantly complaining about rowdy hooligans magically painting the coats of armor either maroon or blue. The only one that didn't seem to mind was the armor guarding the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room, who had been decked out in gloss blue enamel paint and a full Ravenclaw Quidditch uniform. He felt that he looked quite handsome. 

However, far away from the Ravenclaw tower, Esdras was in the Headmaster's office giving him a briefing on the status of New Demnin. At long last, after Katie's forced absence and the virulent Azkaban Plague, he had good news to report to the head of the Order of the Phoenix. Esdras leaned back in the comfortable chair and grinned as he finished his report. "And we've finally stocked the Strategic Ichor Reserve to levels we feel comfortable with. We currently have over half a billion soul equivalents in reserve. All the excess Katie creates is being exported to the other Commonwealth colonies. Naturally, this is an agreeable arrangement for everyone and only serves to strengthen their loyalties to Azkaban and the royal house."

Dumbledore looked impressed. "Five hundred million soul equivalents. That must have been quite an undertaking on Katie's part."

Esdras waved the curiosity aside. "Not really, she's producing a Patronus now with an output of 1.4 million soul equivalents and she casts one three times a day or more. She is single-handedly responsible for the strength of the reserve." He laughed softly. "Kira has had to upgrade Tanker Cloak capacity to handle almost one hundred thousand soul equivalents as a result."

The wizened wizard nodded and smiled. "I am glad to hear that things are finally settling down. It seems like it's been nonstop activity since you took control of your kingdom."

The Dementor nodded and laughed. "It has, actually." He paused to conjure a cup of tea for each of them and, after a moment's hesitation, spoke. "I would like to ask a small favor of you, sir."

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Of course, Esdras. What do you need?"

Esdras looked to his teacup. "It's for Katie, actually. As I'm sure you know by now, she's been approved to play in the upcoming Quidditch match. Since this is her last match here, I thought it would be nice if her parents and brother could come and see her play. They've never gotten the chance to, after all."

The mortal nodded happily. "I believe that can easily be arranged." There was a significant pause as he regarded the glowing eyed mortal sitting across from him. "Are you sure that is the only reason you wish her parents to be there, simply to watch her play in the match?"

The Dementor king smirked. He knew it would be impossible to pull a fast one by Dumbledore but still he had to try. Esdras shook his head slowly. "No, sir. It's not the only reason I wish her parents to be there. I believe something may occur that I wish for them to be privy to."

Dumbledore smiled and rose. "I will send a letter to them immediately and extend them the invitation. I will also mention that both you and Katie hope they will attend."

Esdras nodded and rose as well. "Thank you, sir."

As the Dementor was headed to the door, the voice of the wizened wizard caught up with him. "And Esdras, I have said this many times already, but the world we live in these days needs more love. Love is the best weapon we have to defeat our enemies. I wish you and Katie all the best."

* * *

It was the night before the final game and the Ravenclaw team was safely in their common room. The Quidditch team had gathered around the fireplace with bottles of butterbeer absconded from the kitchen. Roger Davies, Cho Chang, Ben Britten, and Esdras Demnin, the seventh year students of the team, were sharing stories of games long past with the rest of the team and any of their housemates who would listen. Cho was doubled over in laughter as Ben continued the story, one which she remembered as if it were yesterday. "So then Esdras reaches into the wreckage, pulls out his severed arm, and starts pointing it at Malfoy. I've never seen that ferret so terrified of anything in my life." 

The team laughed uproariously and Cho wiped tears from her eyes. "That was about when I realized exactly how strong Esdras was."

Esdras shook his hood. "Obviously we have different definitions of strength. I had played Quidditch with my fellow Dementors for about two and a half centuries before I met you all. If I live for another thousand years, I will remember all of these games and all of you."

Ben laughed and threw his arm around his fellow Beater. "Chances are you will live for another thousand years, you immortal git."

The Dementor smirked. "It doesn't take away any of the sentiment."

All nodded and fell sadly silent. Finally, Roger spoke up. "Our opponent is Gryffindor. I know we've been discussing plans and tactics constantly but let's do an eleventh hour analysis."

Trish Cadwallader looked worried. "Bell is back. She's the only one of the Chasers I'm concerned about. She has more experience than Robins and Thomas combined. If we can separate those two from her, we should be able to neutralize some of her efficiency."

Roger nodded in agreement. "Katie works best in groups; most of her plays are holdovers from when she was playing with Alicia and Angelina."

Esdras looked grim. "As for the Beaters, I admit I'm concerned. Peakes is brutal and efficient; Coote has an aim that's second only to a Dementor." He looked over to his partner. "No offense, Ben."

Ben shook his head. "None taken." He continued on. "Worse than that, I think they have the personality type that may make them feel like they have to prove themselves against Esdras. They may feel that taking down a Dementor will be a great show of their skill. If that's the case, we have a natural defense against them because they'll be aiming for Esdras, leaving me unguarded."

Page sighed. "Ron has only gotten better. It's going to be far more difficult to get things past him than in the past. Where he's been building this confidence is beyond me."

Last left was Cho, who glared dangerously. She spoke with a grim urgency. "I will not let that little redhead get the Snitch again. Last year she pulled a dirty trick on me. This year, it's my turn. I figure if I have to, I can use her breakup with Dean against her and mess with her mind. It would be more effective if he was on the pitch with her, but we can't have everything." She looked to Esdras. "Regardless, I will not underestimate the enemy again."

The discussion of tactics went little better, as no one really had any new ideas. However, overall, the team felt confident of their success in the morning. With the planning session over, Esdras cleared his throat. "There's one last thing I need to tell you all about. There's something I need to do tomorrow before the match. I believe it may affect the efficiency of the Gryffindor team."

Roger arched an eyebrow at this. "You're not talking sabotage, are you?"

The Dementor shook his hood. "No, not sabotage. This is something far more devious."

As Esdras outlined his plan, the rest of his team listened on in awe. When he had fully explained everything, the only thing the guys could do was congratulate him. The only thing Cho and Cadwallader could do was cry happily and hug him.

* * *

At long last, the day of the Ravenclaw/Gryffindor game arrived calm and clear. All concerned agreed that it was perfect weather for a Quidditch match and all whose last game this was agreed that it was a wonderful way to end their school careers. In the Ravenclaw dressing room, the team prepared to enter the pitch, their faces hard set and ready to play. Finally, the soft, airy voice of Luna echoed through the stadium. "And now entering the pitch for their last game of the season is the Ravenclaw team: Cadwallader, Entwhistle, and Page. And entering for their final Hogwarts game: Roger Davies, Esdras Demnin, Benjamin Britten, and Cho Chang!" 

The cheers from the stadium were uproarious, due in no small part to the ranks of Dementors which had made their way from New Demnin to watch their king play in the last Quidditch match of his mortal school career. The seventh years took a lap around the pitch and Esdras and Ben raised their bats to Luna as they passed by to salute her for honoring them. Finally, Luna called out again. "Also entering the pitch for their last game of the season is the Gryffindor team: Robins, Thomas, Peakes, Coote, Weasley, and Weasley. And entering for her final Hogwarts game: Katie Bell!"

Again, the cheers of the stadium were uproarious, again due in no small part to the ranks of Dementors. Katie took her lap around the pitch and waved happily to her parents and brother, who were sitting in the stands with the professors. When she finally made it around to rejoin her team, Luna took to the microphone for one last announcement. "Before we begin the game, our very own Esdras Demnin has something that he would like to say."

The crowd died down as the Dementor took his natural form and floated free from his broom and into the center of the pitch. He glided across to the Gryffindor line and hovered in front of Katie. As he floated, he was joined by Aaron Reaping, who carried a large, flat box. Finally, the Dementor put his wand to his throat and cast a Sonorus Charm so that his voice echoed across the pitch. "Almost four years ago, I was given the opportunity to come to Hogwarts with the job of protecting this place from Sirius Black. I had expected it to be a job just like any other. Instead it changed my life. Almost four years ago, I met a beautiful mortal girl who saw past the depression and darkness that a Dementor brings and took me into her heart. I never thought it would be possible, but I fell in love with a mortal…with you, Katie."

Hovering in midair, Esdras dropped to a kneel and withdrew from his Quidditch robes a small black box. To his right, Aaron took the lid off the large, flat box. Katie looked in shock from the contents of one to the contents of the other. The small box contained a beautifully crafted platinum ring with a diamond flanked by fire emeralds. The large box contained a beautiful white silk cloak. The mortal knew enough of Azkaban traditions to know that the only time a Dementress wore a white cloak was on her wedding day. She brought her gloved hands to her mouth and quivered, tears filling her eyes. "Oh Merlin…_oh gods…_"

Esdras lowered his hood and looked up at her with empty eye sockets. The entire pitch heard him as he spoke. "You are the greatest thing to have ever come into my life. You have my heart and my soul now and forever. Lady Katherine Elizabeth mashacordes Bell, will you marry me?"

Katie sobbed happily and launched herself from her broom into his arms. Her voice was muffled against his robes. "Yes, yes of course."

The king of Dementors wiped away his own icy tears away and pulled her dragon leather glove off her left hand before slipping the ring carefully onto her finger. He then pulled her into a passionate kiss, lifting them high into the air as he floated in sheer elation. Around them, the mortals on broomsticks and in the stands cheered with a ferocity theretofore unseen in the thousand year history of Hogwarts. Similarly, the Dementors began to cheer as well. But finally their voices came together as one. Katie and Esdras broke their kiss and looked up to the crowd of black cloaks and listened as they cheered. "_Hail Esdras, King of Azkaban. Gods save the king! Hail Katherine, affianced of the King and future Queen of Azkaban. Gods save the future queen!_"


	18. Ravenclaw vs Gryffindor

Monday again, and it is again time for another chapter. Only five more chapters after this one! This time, once again, we get to see a Quidditch match that Harry misses.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those who have reviewed:

To the delightfully faithful Estel A Duath – I have no idea when the wedding will be. Remember that Esdras and Katie still have the whole next book to get through. I might write another book as an epilogue chronicling their life after the events of HP7, though.

To the oddly faithful buffalo1 – You know, I'd like to think they'd pack for a trip to Outer Mongolia myself, but you have to remember that treaty restrictions on settlements would most likely mean there's a Dementor colony out there. There really is nowhere safe for them. Oh, beautiful irony…

To the ever faithful Snood – I wanted the proposal to be big, spectacular, and meaningful. The last Quidditch match of the year was the only way to go for a couple so locked in the sport. And of course you get to hear how the game turns out. I think the team telling stories of ages past is what any group of people about to move on would do, and certainly after all that has happened, they'll stay friends. As for Katie working at the Ministry, I'm sure Esdras would have an incredible amount of pull in that regard. Since he'd be working with the Ministry representative, his recommendation would have great weight. But that's a long way off, if at all. The thrill of Quidditch will not die easily in Katie's blood.

All the rest of y'all out there who haven't reviewed should consider it. There aren't that many chapters left and I'd certainly like to hear your opinions on my stories. So please, press the blue button at the bottom of the page. Your reviews make me a better writer.

And as always, _text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 18 – Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor 

Esdras quickly cast the Quietus Charm and looked down to his future queen. Katie smiled brightly and examined the ring again before hugging him tightly. She looked at the box which Aaron still carried and Esdras spoke softly. "_That was my mother's wedding cloak. She left it for me to give to my bride when I found the woman I intended to marry._"

Katie reached out and touched the soft silk. It shimmered in the sunlight, accenting the platinum embroidery which swept intricately across the fabric. "_It's beautiful. I will gladly wear it._" Esdras smiled and hugged her again. She looked over to where her parents were cheering proudly. "_Now I understand why mom and dad wrote to tell me they were coming to see me play._"

The Dementor king nodded and took mortal form. "_I thought they should have the honor of seeing this. They were nice enough to me when I asked them for your hand._"

The mortal looked shocked. "_When did you ask them?_"

He shrugged slightly. "_A few weeks after I got over the plague._"

Katie was obviously shocked that this had been kept such a complete and total secret from her. But before she could say anything, Madame Hooch flew up to the pair on her broomstick. She glared playfully with owl-like eyes. "Congratulations to both of you, of course. But if you two are about finished, we do have a Quidditch match to start. Or had you forgotten?"

The Dementor nodded sharply and motioned to Aaron. The prime minister put the top back on the cloak box and floated close enough to give Katie's shoulder a squeeze. His voice was playful. "_Congratulations, Captain Demnin._"

Esdras smiled and watched as his friend floated back up to join his family. However, a hard thump on the arm brought his attention back to Katie. The mortal glared powerfully at him. "I'm on to you. You think that you can distract me and my team by proposing to me before our match. Well it's not going to work!"

The Dementor king laughed softly and summoned their brooms. "I wanted it to be meaningful and I wanted it to be a surprise. I think it was both." He slipped on his cobalt glasses and smiled from behind the dark blue lenses. "If I happened to distract you or the others…oops."

Katie glared playfully as Esdras sat her carefully on her broom and grabbed his own, floating off to rejoin the Ravenclaw line which immediately set to battle readiness. She slid her glove over her hand, which only emphasized the fact that the ring was there and made her smile. As she floated back to her Gryffindor teammates, she was dismayed that they all felt the need to congratulate her. Her fears were confirmed when she saw every member of the Ravenclaw team smirking from their ready positions. Katie growled and took a page from her naval rank, taking the place of the team's absent captain. "Alright, people, let's look sharp. No distractions."

Below them, the Snitch was released, then the Bludgers. Katie met Esdras' eyes, chocolate brown meeting glowing green hidden behind cobalt glass. Their twinned voices echoed through the pitch as the Quaffle lofted into the air. "Death to the opposition!"

* * *

To say that the battle was pitched would be an understatement. With the House Cup on the line, both sides were fighting like their lives depended on it. Esdras, with almost two and a half centuries of Quidditch matches to his credit, was certain he had never seen a more intense match, let alone been a part of one. He swung his broom around and deflected the Quaffle, aiding the overtaxed Page. He turned to the Keeper and shouted over the crowd. "Is it just me, or are things getting a little heavy?" 

Page nodded, keeping his eyes ahead as Katie tried to make another run at the hoops. Just before she was able to fire off the Quaffle, Ben struck a Bludger towards Esdras. The Dementor easily fired the angry sphere directly at Katie, causing her to violently pull back. The Quaffle slipped from her grasp and Roger was there to take control of it, speeding down the pitch towards the Gryffindor hoops. Page, now slightly less tense, sighed. "Thanks."

Esdras nodded. "Any time."

He pushed his broom hard as he flew off. He reached the centerline of the field and joined back up with Ben. Together the two beaters flew in formation, striking Bludgers and generally providing no peace for Ginny or the Gryffindor Chasers. The lone exception appeared to be Demelza Robins, who had an almost supernatural ability to dodge Bludgers. Ben huffed as his fifth shot towards the girl missed by inches. "Well, at least we're keeping her too busy to deal with the Quaffle."

The Dementor nodded and looked to the scoreboard. "We're down by a lot. We're going to have to keep them all busy for a while in order to close the gap. We should scatter their chasers."

Ben smirked at the mention of this plan. "Do you have any objections to going after your fiancée?"

Esdras shook his head and flipped his hood up. Even behind the Ravenclaw blue fabric, the grin was unmistakable. "No objection at all. We keep them running for as long as we can."

Ben nodded and the two flew in formation towards the trio, who had finally managed to regroup for a run at the Ravenclaw hoops. Esdras scooped a Bludger from midair as they accelerated towards the Chasers. When they were within range, the Dementor threw the Bludger at Dean Thomas, while Ben veered towards Katie. Esdras himself flew straight at Demelza Robins, peeling his hood back to reveal his Dementor face, mouth open wide and ready to Kiss. The result was impressive, the three scattered and the Quaffle dropped. Roger Davies easily scooped it from midair and managed to make a shot that successfully passed Ron.

The next few minutes were more of the same. Esdras and Ben kept the Gryffindor Chasers in a constant state of flux. Granted a few shots made it through, but for the most part, Katie's team tactics were brought to naught. When and how things changed, Esdras would never be able to say. But it seemed that only moments after they had gained control, Peakes and Coote had taken it back. The Gryffindor pair was now using their own tactic against them and Esdras and Ben were forced to defend their Chasers. After a few minutes of this, Esdras grew tired, and quickly caught both Bludgers. With both his hands full, he turned to Ben, a look of bewilderment on his face. "How in the name of the gods did that happen?"

Ben, however, was pointing behind him. "Look out!"

Esdras turned just in time to see the pair of Gryffindor beaters strafe him. Their bludgerbats swung down, knocking the Bludgers from his hands and stinging the extremities to the bone. The Dementor winced and shook his injured hands before he turned to follow them, his eyes flashing with pure, unadulterated rage. His voice was ice cold. "_Son of a bitch must pay!_" He turned to his colleague. "Ben, we teach them a lesson. Now."

The Ravenclaw beater barely had time to nod in agreement before his Dementor partner ignited his afterburners. It was easy to see that Esdras was angry now. His eyes glowed brighter, the swings of his bludgerbat exceeded the bounds of human strength, and his face was set in a hardened mask that Ben could only imagine was the mortal face he would have used when dealing with prisoners.

Ben looked on in awe as Esdras pulled out a trick he hadn't used since the very first Quidditch match they had played in together. In that match, Esdras had managed to unseat both Crabbe and Goyle from their brooms with one well struck Bludger. In this match, it was Peakes and Coote. The powerfully struck Bludger ricocheted off one body to hit the other. Ben flew alongside Esdras and looked down to where the pair had landed on the soft grass of the pitch. The mortal smirked at the look of surprise on their faces. Neither had been in school when Esdras had last used that move. He turned to his companion, who now looked much calmer. "Everything old is new again…"

* * *

Despite the heroics of the Ravenclaw beaters, the blue clad team was still trailing their maroon clad opponents. They were, however, still within victory's range if Cho grabbed the Snitch. Esdras was slightly dismayed by the performance of his team but couldn't really place the blame on any one source. Instead, it seemed that a myriad of factors were converging to produce their substandard performance. The Dementor only wondered how much worse it would have been if the Gryffindor team had not been distracted by his proposal to Katie. 

Ben seemed to realize this as well, so it was with a certain sense of grim determination that he sent a Bludger towards Esdras. The Dementor caught it and turned to his mortal counterpart. Ben Britten looked steely eyed and glared down at the pitch. The action moved quickly down below them and they knew they could not remain above it for long. The mortal grinned. "Esdras, I think it's time we rally the team."

Esdras grinned in return and nodded, allowing the Bludger to jump wildly from one hand to the other. He nodded and angled his broom downward. "You clear the way; I'll take out the redhead."

With a twinned cry from the Beaters, Britten and Demnin descended from the sky. The shrieking roar of Esdras' afterburners brought all eyes to them as they entered the fray. Roger, with Quaffle in hand, raised his voice as well and tucked in behind the pair. Soon Cadwallader and Entwhistle fell in behind them as well, the Quaffle bouncing effortlessly from one to the other as they plowed through all obstructions. Esdras had the singular pleasure of watching Ron Weasley grow deathly pale before he threw the Bludger, aiming right for his bright red hair. Predictably, the Gryffindor ducked, and the Quaffle went sailing effortlessly overhead.

It took only a few more of these coordinated runs to rally the Ravenclaw team into an appropriate fervor. With the team working its way up the scoreboard again, Roger called out to the Beaters. "You two, get the Bludgers and see what you can do about Ginny. We need to finish this and finish this fast!"

Esdras nodded quickly to the captain and immediately arced one of the angry spheres towards the redhead in question. Ben remained low to corral the Bludgers and direct them towards Esdras, who quickly accelerated upward. When the Dementor leveled, he was met by Cho. The Seeker nodded grimly. "This is it, Esdras!"

The Dementor nodded and raised his bat. "Last chance for glory!"

As Esdras and Cho flew in formation, Ben continued to deflect Bludgers upwards. There, Esdras aimed them at Ginny. The Seeker had to keep one eye behind her in order to avoid the incoming spheres. It only took a few minutes before Cho finally spotted the Snitch and made a quick dive for it. The Dementor followed at her heels, inverted on his broom and still aiming Bludgers at the redhead in pursuit as they came. To Ginny's credit, she dodged them expertly, a fact which only served to further infuriate the Dementor.

The events that took place next would become the stuff of Hogwarts legends for decades. Ben Britten fired a Bludger towards Esdras. In his inverted position, the Dementor could easily see it coming and was prepared to launch it towards Ginny. This set up was perfect except for one small problem. Katie could not see the incoming Bludger. Thus, when she intentionally collided against his shoulder to distract him, she slowed him down just enough so that his bludgerbat missed the ball. The Bludger struck Esdras square in the face.

The pain was intense. Black blood poured from his broken nose and the glow of his green eyes failed, a sign that his ocular plane had been fractured. His mortal eyes were no better off, having been crushed by the angry Bludger. Blinded and in pain from multiple fractures of the facial bones, the Dementor fell from his broom. As he fell, the last thing he heard was Luna announcing the end of the game. Ginny, somehow, had taken the Snitch.

Then, he hit the ground. Hard.

* * *

"_I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!_" 

The words cut through the darkness as Esdras regained consciousness. The Dementor groaned and sat up, abandoning his mortal form as he rose. His vision was slowly returning and, through the haze, he could see a brightly glowing form kneeling beside him. It could only be one person, so he shook his head and replied slowly. "Katie…"

The glowing form launched forward and the Dementor found himself in a mortal death grip. Katie clung tightly to Esdras' neck. "I'm sorry; I didn't know the Bludger was coming. I didn't mean to get you hurt. Oh, I'm so sorry." Her voice dropped to a frightened whisper. "Please don't cancel the wedding!"

Esdras choked back a laugh at this and fell back onto the soft grass, taking in the world around him. In the background, he could hear the cheers and choruses of 'Weasley Is Our King,' but as his vision finally cleared and he retook mortal form, all he could see was Katie. The Dementor smiled once he had the face to do so. "It's going to take more than hitting me in the face with a Bludger for me to want to cancel the wedding, my love." He pulled her in and kissed her softly. After a moment, he pulled away. "Two Bludgers, however…"

The peal of mortal laughter was all that Esdras needed to know that her fears were alleviated. Esdras slowly floated up and righted himself. The other six members of his team were standing around him. Roger sighed heavily and shrugged before throwing his arms around the shoulders of Cho and Trish. "Well, we did the best we could."

The Ravenclaw team looked dejected for a few seconds before the first traces of a smile appeared on Ben's face. He stifled a quick laugh. The laughter proved contagious and quickly passed from one to the next until all seven were laughing and on the grass in a combination dog pile/group hug. Their laughter brought about the curiosity of the Gryffindor team. Demelza Robins walked up to Katie and looked at the Ravenclaws curiously. "They did just lose, right?"

Katie smiled and nodded. "That hardly matters to them now."

The laughter of the defeated team lasted only as long as it took for Madame Pomfrey to cross the pitch. She quickly pulled Esdras from the group hug and floated him in front of her. As the triage spell ran, she held her hand up in front of the Dementor. "How many fingers do you see?"

Esdras stared at her hand and replied in a deadpan, serious voice. "Green." The nurse glared and Esdras grinned sheepishly. "Four."

Pomfrey nodded and looked dispassionately at the triage spell's readout. She huffed slightly and shrugged. "Well, it would hardly be worth my time to take you to the Hospital Wing, most of the damage has already healed itself. Just be thankful you took that ichodrenaline before the match or you would still be lying there blind." Her voice softened and she shook her head. "Have someone feed you immediately and come in if you feel at all light headed."

The Dementor nodded obediently. "Yes, Madame Pomfrey."

Esdras smiled as the nurse walked off and then went to walk with his teammates. Roger, however, shook his head and spun him around to face the Gryffindor team. "Oh no you don't. You go with your fiancée. You two have something to celebrate and we won't keep you."

Katie looked to her teammates and, at their collective nod, turned to face the Ravenclaws. "We all have something to celebrate. You're all invited if you'd like to come. All of you."

There was total silence between the fourteen for about five seconds.

* * *

Fifteen minutes and two room-expanding charms later, every maroon clad Gryffindor and every blue clad Ravenclaw, all with bottles of butterbeer in hand, were toasting the happy couple in the middle of the now banquet hall sized Gryffindor common room. Esdras and Katie accepted their accolades in stride and drank to every toast that was offered to them. 

As the victory party settled into full swing, Roger appeared at Esdras' shoulder and smirked. "You know, I don't feel so bad about losing anymore." The Dementor followed his eyes across the room to where Demelza Robins was standing. The Chaser gave a coy smile and a wave and Roger straightened up. "I definitely don't feel bad about losing."

Esdras stared wide eyed at his friend as he made his way across the room and began chatting up their wily opponent. He turned to Katie with a question in his eyes. Katie, however, merely smiled. "You should hear her go on and on about Roger. This is probably a dream come true for her."

The Dementor laughed and shook his head. His response was interrupted by the portrait hole opening to admit the only Gryffindor still in the dark about the recent victory. Harry Potter's anxiety melted away as he saw the party in full swing. Katie shouted out over the crowd. "Someone get that boy a butterbeer."

Then, a most miraculous thing occurred. Out of nowhere, Ginny Weasley came barreling through the crowd. She did not have a butterbeer. Instead, the slender redhead wasted no time and jumped into the arms of the Boy Who Lived and there, in front of all of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw house, they snogged as if their lives depended on it.

Esdras timed it. The pair was locked in their embrace for exactly two minutes and sixteen seconds. Then, they broke the kiss, but remained in their embrace. Silence reigned for a few seconds before the assembled Gryffindors and Ravenclaws let out a mighty cheer. Even Cho found it in her heart to applaud…just a little.

To his right, Katie leaned into Esdras' shoulder. She smirked happily. The Dementor grinned as well and wrapped his arm around her. He laughed softly as he watched the newly minted mortal couple. "Well, it's about damn time."


	19. Battlefront

It's Friday, the week is over, and I've finished the story. I think it's time for another chapter. This time, a battle the scale of which you cannot even imagine brews in the distance.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful perrinette – I'm glad you liked the proposal and the game. I wanted to make the proposal very romantic and meaningful, so naturally it would happen at the last game of the year. And the game, well, I wanted that to be memorable. As for the next story, it will definitely be canon. That means I'm going to get to rest my fingers for a bit before writing the next story.

To the ever faithful Snood – You have no idea how good it felt to finally write Harry and Ginny coming together after dancing around it for so long. It was a good match, and I think that Ravenclaw has no regrets, as you could tell from the party after the game. And I'm glad you liked Katie's reaction after accidentally Bludgering Esdras, I wanted it to be both funny and realistic. This break will be nice for me, but I have to tell you that I am very eager to start writing the next book.

And all the rest of y'all out there who haven't reviewed, please do. There are only four chapters left after this one, so I'd like to hear your opinions on this and my other stories. So go ahead, press the blue button at the bottom and let me know what you think.

And as usual, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 19 – Battlefront 

The format for the NEWT level Defense practical examination was the same as it was for the OWL level, so when the seventh year Defense students gathered in front of the examination hall, they were not at all surprised to find Professor Griselda Marchbanks, head of the Wizarding Examinations Authority, ready to proctor with clipboard in hand. The stooped and aged professor calmly stood before the assembled students and spoke clearly. "Welcome to your NEWT level practical in Defense Against the Dark Arts. You should all be familiar with the procedure by now. I will call each one of you in turn and present you with a series of scenarios. You will be expected to defend yourself accordingly. We'll start at the top of the list." She looked at her clipboard and called out the first name. "Captain Katherine Bell."

Esdras and Katie both arched eyebrows at the use of Katie's professional title, but nonetheless the Dementor gave the mortal a quick kiss and whispered softly in her ear. "Good luck."

Katie smiled confidently and followed along behind Professor Marchbanks. They entered the examination hall and walked to the center of the room. There, the professor turned and calmly regarded the student. After a few seconds, she spoke. "Katherine Elizabeth Bell, captain of the Azkaban Navy."

Nodding calmly, Katie returned the professor's stare. "Yes, ma'am."

Professor Marchbanks nodded in return and looked to her clipboard. "Azkaban Defense Minister Lord Admiral Malachi DeCay has given me some special requests for your practical examination today. It seems you're being tested by the navy as well."

Suddenly, Katie was not as calm. She still managed to nod. "I understand, ma'am."

The professor met her eyes and nodded in return. "We'll start with the easy questions, then. A Death Eater is approaching, lethal action has been authorized. Please target this spell at the wall right over there."

Katie drew her wand and pointed it at the wall. "Avada Kedavra!"

The stone exploded as the green light hit. Marchbanks moved on immediately, drawing her wand and pointing it at Katie. "Resist and counter. Imperius!"

Suddenly, Katie felt very calm. All she wanted to do was to drop her wand and place her hands behind her head. However, her grasp never faltered. Unwilling to be taken by the same trick twice, Katie had spent weeks reinforcing her training in this. She slowly leveled her wand and pointed it at the professor. "Imperius!"

Within seconds, the professor had dropped her wand and clipboard. Katie kept her wand level until both hands were behind her head before ending the spell. Marchbanks nodded, impressed. She knelt to pick up the two dropped items and as she did so, the door to her right opened, revealing fifty Dementors. Judging from the chill and darkness that accompanied them, they were not wearing Mark Thirteen cloaks. The professor merely stepped back. "Identify if they are a threat and deal with them accordingly."

Katie turned to face the cloaked onslaught, her own cloak billowing behind her as she screamed out her orders. "_Engage your Mark Thirteen spells and float at attention!_" The Dementors hesitated, but quickly formed into lines and snapped to attention as the chill lessened and the light shone again. Katie quickly found the most senior Dementor and pulled him down to her eye level. "_State your orders, commander._"

The commander spoke clearly and quickly. "_Ma'am, by order of Lord Admiral Malachi DeCay our orders are to randomly attack during the practical examination for Defense Against the Dark Arts. We are to alternate between friend and foe to determine the student's ability to interact with Dementors._"

Captain Bell nodded and released the Dementor. "_Very good, commander. You are finished for now. Reset yourselves and await the next student._"

The Dementors all saluted sharply and turned, floating out the way they had came. Professor Marchbanks smirked and made a note on her clipboard. "Impressively handled. Am I to assume you pulled rank on them?"

Katie grinned and nodded. "I was prepared to report them to Esdras for entering the castle without authorization before they told me they were acting on orders."

The professor nodded and made another note on her clipboard. "And one last thing before we start on some of the more difficult questions." Here, the eyes of the aged witch lit up. "I would like to see your Patronus, if you don't mind."

The young witch nodded and brought her happiest memory to mind: Esdras in midair, proposing to her. Her left hand came to her heart, the diamond and fire emeralds shining brightly. Her right hand raised her wand as she called out the spell. "Expecto Patronum!"

From the blinding silver light that poured from the tip of her wand a form began to emerge. When the light had resolved itself, there stood a nine foot tall Dementor of pure light. It quickly swept around to float behind Katie, its cloak billowing in an unfelt wind as it awaited its master's orders. Griselda Marchbanks, who had seen many things in her many years, took a step back and stared in awe. When she finally found her voice, she spoke quietly. "I've never seen anything so…so powerful."

Katie smiled softly. "The Dementor is the most powerful creature in the world. And I am not just referring to their physical strength…"

* * *

The atmosphere in the Gryffindor common room was, for the most part, relaxed. Esdras, Katie, and Ginny sat in front of the fireplace, each nursing a takeaway box from the Chinese restaurant in New Demnin. The three looked surprisingly calm for just having gone through the rigors of examinations. Esdras regarded a morsel of Admiral Sachiel's Chicken before idly addressing Ginny. "So how did your Charms practical go?" 

The redhead shrugged. "As well as can be expected, I suppose. I messed the Color Change Charm up a bit. They wanted red and it looked a bit more orange to me, but if they're going to be that picky about it…"

The Dementor smirked and moved to the white box of rice that sat beside him. "They have to have bigger things to worry about than the shade of red you were able to conjure."

The redhead grunted and dug into her box of pepper beef. Katie looked up and narrowed her eyes. "Speaking of exams, I talked with Malachi this afternoon. It seems he wasn't the one who ordered a battery of tenth year cadet level examinations for me. Those orders were signed by a certain flag admiral, I believe…"

Esdras paled slightly, but remained calm. "Katie, you know I have a responsibility to the navy. If you passed the final cadet examinations, which I'm sure you did, you'll be a fully accredited officer of the navy, not just an officer by appointment. I thought you would be pleased."

Katie leaned against the Dementor's shoulder and stole a morsel of chicken. "Of course I'm pleased, but you could have warned me. I thought I was going crazy when my History written exam had questions about Azkaban battle history from the Warring Houses Period."

Their laughter was punctuated by the opening of the portrait hole. The three looked up and watched as Harry Potter moved at high speed through the common room and up the dormitory stairs. Esdras scratched his hood. "What do you think all that's about, then?"

Ginny sighed and closed her box of pepper beef. "No clue, but it can't be good. He has that look in his eyes again. We find Ron and Hermione, we find out what all this is about."

Katie sighed and closed her box of spicy minted pork. "I hate that look he gets."

The three quickly made their way over to the table where Ron and Hermione were sitting. As they waited for the scarred mortal, the window opened to reveal a very dismayed Aaron Reaping. He moved quickly and saluted Esdras. "_There you are. I've been looking all over for you. We've received a report from the settlement in Raahe, Finland. They're under attack by renegade forces._"

Esdras and Katie both looked shocked at this news, Esdras especially. "_Why Raahe? It's small and residential. It has no military significance whatsoever._"

Katie pursed her lips nervously. "_Have we heard anything from them since their initial call for help?_"

Aaron shook his hood. "_Not that I'm aware of._"

Deep in thought, Esdras was quiet for a second. "_Then there are two possibilities. First, Raahe is being attacked and their communications capabilities have been destroyed. The other is that this is all a ruse to draw our attention and resources away from a different attack. Either way, we have to dispatch troops to Raahe immediately._"

Before the King could decide on a course of action, they were all joined by Harry, still moving at top speed. In his hands he held an aged slip of parchment and a small, half full bottle of luminous gold liquid. Harry ignored the Dementors as he passed the two items off onto his friends. "Dumbledore is taking me to look for and destroy a…" His eyes met Esdras' hood and he faltered. "Well, you know."

Esdras sighed and leaned in. "A Horcrux, you mean?"

Ron, Hermione, and Harry all looked shocked. Harry spoke for them. "How do you know about them?"

The Dementor rolled his eyes. "Dumbledore's been keeping us in the loop. Voldemort, Slughorn, Horcruxes; if you know it, we know it."

Harry set his jaw, but quickly brushed aside the Dementor. "Fine, whatever. Dumbledore knows the location of a Horcrux and has asked me to come with him. We're leaving immediately. Use the map to make sure nothing unusual is going on and to keep an eye on Malfoy. If he is going to make a move, it'll be tonight while Dumbledore is away from the castle. If something does happen, I want you to split the Felix Felicis three ways with Ginny. It'll help keep you safe."

The two Dementors met hoods and Katie found she didn't like the glances that were being passed back and forth between the ancient friends. When Aaron nodded, Esdras turned to Katie. "_This is bad. What are the odds that renegade forces would attack a remote outpost at the exact same moment that Dumbledore would be leaving Hogwarts?_"

Katie knew enough about probability to guess the right answer. "_Almost zero._"

Esdras nodded. "_I agree._" He turned to Aaron. "_Let's go._"

The mortal, however, would have none of this. She pulled the Dementor back by the cloak. "_Not so fast, I'm coming with you._" Esdras made to protest, but Katie silenced him with a glance. "_Not one word. I'm an officer of the Azkaban Navy just like you and just like Aaron. I'm coming with you and I'm going to help. Now let's go._"

The Dementor king narrowed his hood at his fiancée, but she held firm. Finally, he relented. "_Fine, but bring your Castcloth cloak._"

* * *

As the trio flew quickly into New Demnin, Esdras drew his wand. "_New Demnin Security Protocol Demnin Five._" 

Immediately, klaxons began to sound and the walls of the Dementor town echoed with a calm, recorded message. "_This is a Level Three Security Alert. This is not a drill. All active duty divisions are to scramble immediately and report to battle stations. All inactive divisions are hereby placed on hot standby in preparation for mobilization. All civilian Dementors are to prepare to proceed to the emergency shelters._"

Katie watched as the town below them roiled in a frenzy of activity. Hundreds of thousands of Dementors began to pour into the streets, all wearing Assault cloaks. As they flew deeper into the town, the individual Dementors began to form up into divisions and eventually fleets. By the time they reached the royal residence, it was clear that all active duty fleets were ready for deployment. When they landed in the courtyard, they were met by Malachi DeCay. He quickly saluted. "_Majesty, we've got some interesting news._"

Esdras returned the salute. "_Report._"

The Defense Minister pointed out an ensign standing at attention just behind them. "_Ensign Sartoris over here just told me that he was in touch with Raahe Base not five minutes ago._"

The king turned to the young ensign. "_Explain._"

The ensign spoke quickly, nervous to be in the presence of such high ranking superiors. "_Yes, Majesty. You see, I was just talking to my cousin. She moved to Raahe a few years ago because she wanted to get out of the city. We were talking through the fireplace and everything seemed fine. I had to tell her I would call back because the security alert was issued._"

Esdras arched his hood at this. Malachi sounded slightly bemused at this new information. "_It would appear we have conflicting accounts of what is happening at Raahe._"

Aaron huffed slightly. "_Wasn't Lara in charge of the Azkaban Floo Network before she was tapped to be warden of the prison? She should know more than enough to be able to create a fake emergency broadcast from Raahe._"

Malachi nodded. "_That would make sense. She could shut down Raahe's link in the Floo Network and broadcast the fake transmission. She would have been unable to shut down Ensign Sartoris' conversation because the line was already active._"

The king looked to the rest of his advisors who had gathered around and finally settled on Admiral Kirin. "_Kira, you said you had prototypes of all the Quicksilver projects. Does that include the Traveler cloak?_"

The research admiral nodded quickly. "_Yes, Majesty, but we only have enough for one division. I figured that demand for them would never be great so I didn't make that many._"

The lone mortal arched an eyebrow. "_The Traveler cloak?_"

Kira nodded. "_A Quicksilver cloak designed to counteract the inaccuracy of Long Distance Apparition. Halfway across the planet would be no problem with one of these things._"

Katie looked suitably impressed. Esdras nodded sharply and turned to the young ensign still standing at ease nearby. "_Sartoris, you're with the 53__rd__ Infantry, right?_" At his nod, Esdras turned to face Aaron and Kira. "_Get the 53__rd__ and outfit them with the Traveler cloak. They'll Long Distance Apparate to Raahe and ascertain if the base is actually under attack._"

* * *

Within minutes, the seventy Dementors of the 53rd Infantry were assembled in the courtyard; all wore the Quicksilver cloak which had a light copper sheen to the black fabric. Esdras stood before the captain, giving him a final briefing. "_You have fifteen minutes, so be quick about it. Apparate in and make sure the residents are alright, then use your remaining time to fan out in all directions and search for any sign of approaching troops. At the end of your fifteen minutes, Apparate back here and report._" 

The captain saluted sharply. "_Yes, Majesty._"

Esdras returned the salute and inclined his hood to the captain's left. "_And make sure Sartoris there gets the chance to check on his cousin._"

The captain nodded. "_Of course, sir._" He turned to face his men. "_Prepare for Long Distance Apparition._"

The cloaks began to emit a high pitched whine. After a few seconds the whine suddenly stopped and the cloaks began to billow like they were caught in a violent storm. Finally, the Dementors Apparated, but instead of the usual soft popping sound, the Traveler cloaks sounded like small explosions. Esdras and Aaron both raised their hoods in surprise. Aaron recovered first. "_That looks like fun!_"

Katie smirked at Kira and shook her hood. "_Boys will be boys, no matter the species._"

Esdras shook his hood in amusement, but quickly recovered. He turned to face Katie. "_There will be a battle tonight, one way or the other. You won't let me off easy by handling logistics here in New Demnin, will you?_" The mortal shook her head and Esdras sighed. "_Then there is only one option remaining. I want you to take command of the 13__th__ Infantry._"

Katie nearly fell over in shock. "_The Thirteenth? But I've never had real command experience before. I know there was the time last year during the battle at the Ministry, but that's not the same._"

Esdras nodded. "_I know, but you're ready for command. You know as much about battle theory as any other commissioned officer, and you'll only get better as you get more experience. Besides, I want you with the best of the best if we're going into battle. You will lead the 13__th__ Infantry tonight if there is an engagement. Assemble them immediately and take command._"

The mortal smiled nervously. "_As you command, Majesty._"

The flag admiral floated away and glided over the fountain that decorated the courtyard, creating thin trails of ice over the surface of the water. As he pondered his next move, he heard an announcement echo through the city. "_Attention, by order of Captain Katherine Bell, the Thirteenth Infantry is to scramble to active deployment status immediately. Muster point is the courtyard of the royal residence._"

Esdras nodded happily and continued his silent meditation, planning his next move. He did not hear the other cloaked form approach from behind. "_Majesty._"

The Dementor king turned quickly and relaxed when he saw who floated before him. "_Admiral Sanguis. Shouldn't you be preparing your troops for battle?_"

Tarquin Sanguis remained silent. He shook his hood and leveled his gaze at the king. "_My troops were ready before the Level Three alert sounded._"

Esdras arched his hood at this. "_Explain._"

The Marine admiral floated forward, urgency in his voice. "_Some of those who followed Sidara when Azkaban fell are not happy. It seems that Voldemort has not followed through on many of the promises he initially made to them. He holds off on fulfilling them mission after mission, expecting more and more from them._" He sighed sadly. "_They are starving, Esdras, starving and afraid, worse than when we were under Ministry control. A few of my old colleagues have contacted me secretly, concerned for their families. They wish to defect._"

The king narrowed his hood. "_How long has this been going on? Why didn't you come to me with this earlier?_"

Tarquin shook his hood. "_I had to be sure of their intentions before I brought it to your attention, they would trust no one but me._" He became deadly serious. "_They have given me information in return for the promise of refuge. If the attack on Raahe is indeed a ruse like they told me, then they are laying a trap for us. The renegades' true target will be here. They intend to attack New Demnin. That was the cause of the drop in renegade attacks, not the plague. Lara has been preparing her forces for a large scale strike against us!_"

Esdras reeled in shock; the news of such a bold attack astounded him. He startled when heard a series of small explosions. Sure enough, when he turned around, the 53rd Infantry had returned, and were exchanging their Traveler cloaks for standard Assault cloaks. He motioned for Tarquin to follow him and quickly glided towards the Infantry division. They were met halfway by the captain, Aaron, Malachi, and Kira. The young captain's hood was set tensely. "_Raahe is secure. The transmission was a fake._"

Malachi looked to Esdras. "_Now what?_"

The King of Azkaban narrowed his hood and turned to face Tarquin. "_If it's a trap, then I suggest we play right into it._"


	20. Unacceptable Loss

It's Monday, the start of a new week, and so far it's been a lousy day. Here's hoping another chapter will set things right. This time, we see that in every battle, sacrifices must be made.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Estel A Duath – Well, someone's going to get served in the battle. Probably not Voldemort, though, since he's not in this battle.

To the oddly faithful buffalo1 – The action is just beginning, my friend. Between this chapter and the next, I fully intend to blow your mind.

To the ever faithful Snood – Maybe it's a little weird, but you have to figure that there are probably a select few at the Ministry who are okay with Dementors (other than the Order members). To date, everything we know about Marchbanks indicates that she respects ability over politics, so she'll probably be a little more respectful of the cloaked kind and perfectly willing to give a cadet examination for them. The 'epic battle' starts this chapter, I hope you enjoy it. I apologize in advance for the cliffhanger.

To the ever faithful KRP, recently returned from vacation – Here's your fifth update for you. I was just waiting for you to review before I put it down. Like I told Snood, I'm sure there are some Ministry officials that Dementors trust, so having an Azkaban exam proctored by a mortal isn't that farfetched. Lara's troops are majority Marine, so probability dictates that if anyone was to defect, it would most likely be a Marine. And any good defector knows to go to the highest authority possible and not to deal with underlings. In this case, they would go to Sanguis because he is the most powerful Marine in New Demnin. As for the battle, I think the logistics will be pretty clear once you start reading the chapter.

All the rest of y'all out there should review as well. There are only three more chapters after this, so please let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your opinion and, of course, your reviews help make me a better writer.

And as always, _text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 20 – Unacceptable Loss 

The klaxons still rang throughout New Demnin, but now the alert message had changed. The rock of the underground city echoed its calm prerecorded message into the town below. "_This is a Level One Security Alert. This is not a drill. All active duty infantry divisions are to scramble immediately and report to deployment stations. All inactive infantry divisions are to mobilize and prepare for deployment. All civilian Dementors are to proceed calmly to the designated emergency shelters._"

As the troops gathered and the civilians headed for shelter, Esdras discussed his plan with his top advisors and fleet admirals. An enormous scale map of Scotland was spread out on the wall behind them, dots and arrows indicating the fleet movements. Esdras calmly outlined his plan with his wand. "_Sidara doesn't know that we know the distress call is a fake, so we'll deploy an assault force to head towards Raahe. The 251__st__ through the 600__th__ Fleets will form Battle Group One and deploy and proceed northwest to Inverness. They will then follow the coast around to Edinburgh. There they will intercept the 601__st__ through 730__th__ Fleets, Battle Group Two, who have been recalled from previous deployments, before turning northeast to Hogsmeade. Total travel time at full afterburner is just over three quarters of an hour._"

Admiral Tarquin Sanguis, at Esdras' side, addressed the fleet admirals. "_If Sidara is following Marine strategy, she already has a forward observer reconnoitering the town. When the Battle Group is deployed, she will know. Strategy dictates that she waits until the troops are too far away to return to help New Demnin. Based on travel time from New Demnin to Raahe, I believe that we can expect the assault to begin approximately sixty six minutes after Battle Group deployment._"

Esdras nodded. "_That means we can have our troops in position and ready to outflank them before they arrive. It will be close, so time is of the essence once you deploy. Aaron and I will remain here with the 1__st__ through 250__th__ Fleets and form Battle Group Three. Lara will believe she's only facing 250,000 troops. She'll actually be up against the entire Azkaban Navy._"

Malachi nodded and looked to the map. "_I agree with the plan, but we need to know what direction the renegades will be coming from. Otherwise, we run the risk of them floating right over us. It's going to be hard enough as it is to hide half a million Dementors._"

Admiral Sanguis nodded and pointed his wand at the map, magnifying it to show the area around Hogwarts and New Demnin. A green arrow swept in from the north, passing over the heavy forests before covering the castle and crossing the lake until it came to rest on top of New Demnin. "_My sources have told me that the strike will come from the north._"

Malachi did not look convinced. "_How reliable are these sources again?_"

Esdras narrowed his hood, intent on heading off an argument before it started. "_Reliable enough, Malachi, and right now it's all we have. It's better than nothing._" When his Defense Minister nodded, the king relaxed. "_You will be in charge of Battle Group One, Malachi. Kira has outfitted some of the fleets with a variety of Quicksilver cloaks, a list of which is in your final group roster. Deploy immediately. Maintain communications blackout until the order to attack has been given. May the gods float with you._"

Malachi saluted sharply and floated up into the air. He bowed deeply to the king. "_They already do._" As he continued up to the massed troops, he raised his wand and the announcements echoing from the rocks changed. "_Battle Group One, you are cleared for departure from New Demnin through North Gates 1 through 24._"

The remaining admirals watched as, high overhead, hundreds of thousands of Dementors floated through the cavernous town, queuing up at the town's northern gates. After a while, Esdras turned to the map and changed the view, turning it to a picture of the Hogsmeade Region. Aaron joined him and spoke quietly. "_You're doing fine, Esdras. We'll get through this._"

The Dementor king nodded. "_I know, but that doesn't help my nerves._" He sighed sadly. "_I wonder if King Sachiel was this nervous before the Last Battle of the Warring Houses._"

Aaron nodded. "_He would have been a fool not to be, and seeing as how members of the House of Demnin are no fools…_" There was a moment's pause before the two Dementors laughed softly together. Nerves abated somewhat, Aaron saluted casually. "_Orders, Majesty?_"

Esdras nodded. "_Once Battle Group One has cleared New Demnin, I want you to oversee barricading Gates 12 through 50 and 64 through 100. We'll use the north gates for the assault and, gods forbid, the south gates for retreat._"

The Prime Minister saluted sharply. "_It will be done, Majesty._"

The king sighed, staring intently at the map of the mortal town of Hogsmeade. "_I fear we are powerless to help them. If we warned the residents of the impending attack, they would panic and tip our hand to the renegades. We cannot take that risk._"

Aaron nodded. "_If necessary, we can expand our lines to protect the town._"

Esdras sighed. "_I hope that's enough._"

* * *

The King of Azkaban spent the next hour floating through the town. The hospitals were prepared and fully stocked with blood and ichor, ready for the many casualties that would inevitably arrive. The civilians were secure in the emergency shelters far below the town, ready to be evacuated at a moment's notice. The fleets of his battle group were waiting in calm readiness. Katie, resting comfortably on her broomstick while the rest of the Thirteenth Infantry hovered, offered him a smile. Esdras couldn't help but notice that it seemed forced and unnatural against the white eyes induced by her Castcloth cloak. 

He would have said or done something, hugged her, kissed her, anything, but at that moment, the proximity alert sounded. The blaring alarm sounded along with a message that echoed from the stone around them. "_This is a Level Two Proximity Alert. This is not a drill. Unauthorized forces are approaching New Demnin from the north, bearing 010 degrees, closing at one hundred twenty miles per hour. Range to New Demnin, twenty miles. Estimated time of arrival, ten minutes._"

Esdras looked to Katie and nodded solemnly, praying that she could read the emotions racing across his hood. Without a word, the Dementor King turned from his fiancée and flew at top speed back to the courtyard. Sure enough, the giant map revealed the presence of the vast renegade navy. Aaron expanded the view, clearly showing the neat fleet divisions. "_Lara pulled out all the stops; we're showing wand cannon batteries, armored spell shields, and over three quarters of a million troops. That's her entire navy._"

The king nodded and closed the clasp of his armor cloak, the heavy bands of metallic armor appearing and sliding into place around his body and limbs. Over his hands, spiked black gauntlets appeared. From his sleeve he withdrew the platinum Glaive of Silence. Esdras Demnin the king became Esdras Demnin the warrior. He spoke with an icy whisper, magically amplified to echo through the town. "_All troops, we will take up a defensive position around the northern gates of the town._" He paused for a second, and finally raised his hood to his waiting troops. "_Tonight we defend our homes, our families, and our way of life. We must succeed! Azkaban history is full of stories like ours, Dementors of all ranks and classes facing incredible odds to protect everything they hold dear. Every great Dementor in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now. Soldiers. If they can do it, why not us?_" The two hundred fifty thousand Dementors all cheered, raising their voices in a cry that reverberated through the cavernous space. Esdras' voice echoed over their deafening cheer. "_Battle Group Three, engage Riot Assault cloaks and deploy!_"

Together, Esdras, Aaron, and Tarquin floated up into the mass of heavily armed and armored Dementors, leading the first fleets of the battle group out into the clear night. The fleets around them began to form a three dimensional skirmish wall, the infantrymen drawing their wands and standing ready for the coming onslaught. Above and below, Ordnance Divisions began setting up heavily shielded wand cannon batteries. The admirals, at the front of the lines, were able to clearly see the pitch black mass of the approaching army. Aaron's voice was surprisingly calm, but his true emotions were betrayed by how tightly he held his wand. "_This is it, my friend._"

Esdras nodded, well aware that if the Glaive were not magically strengthened, he would have already snapped it in half by now. The renegade army was now over Hogwarts Castle. Esdras was prepared to give the order to attack, when something totally unexpected occurred. The renegade fleet stopped. No one was more surprised than Tarquin. "_What the hell…?_"

The three looked on in amazement as the renegade fleets began to form a perimeter around the wards that Dumbledore had cast to protect the school, blocking the castle off from the New Demnin fleets. After that, nothing. Their intentions only became clear when a bright green light flew from the top of the Astronomy Tower. Esdras shouted when the light resolved itself, a skull and a snake. "_Dark Mark!_"

His words brought about a storm of activity. Through the communication charm in his armor cloak, reports began to come in from everywhere. Captain Ravine, in charge of threat assessment, was quickest. "_Majesty, the renegade fleet has just come within range of our most sensitive targeting spells. We're detecting no less than twenty five mortals interspersed with the Dementors. Preliminary identification scans indicate they are Death Eaters._"

Katie was next. "_Esdras, we've got major issues. My men have intercepted Harry and Dumbledore. They were about to cross the lake and head right for the enemy fleet before we stopped them._" Her voice took a nervous quality. "_And Esdras, we need to get Dumbledore to a healer, fast._"

Esdras looked to Aaron. "_Take command of the Battle Group, match any move they make. This is a whole new beast._" He turned to the Marine. "_Sanguis, with me._"

* * *

The wizened and aged form of Dumbledore lay reclined on a cot in New Demnin's main hospital while Dr. Transom quickly cast triage charms overtop of him. Esdras could see why Katie was so concerned; he had never seen the Headmaster so deathly ill. Dumbledore was barely coherent, pale, clammy, and cold. Harry, however, hadn't shut up. He was currently railing at both Esdras and Katie. "We have to get to the castle. You saw the Dark Mark! Merlin knows what's going on in there right now. We have to hurry! I could have gotten through those Dementors with my Patronus! Why the hell did you stop me?" 

Katie growled and turned on the scarred mortal, her eyes flashing in her fury. "Shut the hell up, you ignorant prat! There are over seven hundred fifty thousand hungry Dementors in that blockade. Your Patronus wouldn't have lasted two seconds against them. You'd have been dead before you even heard your mother's screams!"

The mention of Harry's singular reaction to Dementors and the sight of Katie's unusual eye coloration quickly shut him up, but the fire did not diminish from his eyes. Esdras took the silence to address Michaelis. "Well?"

The doctor did not look happy. "The damage is extensive, but reparable. But he needs a mortal healer. I've done all that I can do for him, but we just don't have the specialized facilities, spells, and potions that a mortal hospital would have access to."

Esdras nodded. "It's settled; prepare to Apparate him to St. Mungo's."

From the cot, a low moan arose. Dumbledore had managed to prop himself up. "No…we must…we must get to Hogwarts. You must help…"

The Dementor king floated to the wizard and took his hand. "Headmaster, you are not well. You need immediate treatment. There is a blockade around the castle, and I doubt Madame Pomfrey has the capacity to heal this damage. St. Mungo's is the best option."

Dumbledore shook his head. "You must help…must get to Hogwarts. Your debt to me…for helping Katie…repay it now."

The king ran a hand over his hood and sighed. He was unable to deny the debt that he owed the wizened wizard, and Dumbledore knew it. He gathered his thoughts for a moment. "_Very well. Tarquin, return to Aaron and apprise him of the situation. Michaelis, bring Dumbledore._" He quickly turned to face Katie, who held Harry with a firm grip. "You two, come with me. Bring the brooms. I have a plan." As he took to the air, he activated the charm in his hood. "_Admiral Kirin, report immediately to the airlock with a Waterstorm cloak._"

As the unlikely quintet of Dementors and mortals floated through the empty town, Katie questioned Esdras. "_What's the plan?_"

Esdras didn't look back. "_The blockade completely surrounds the castle and extends beyond the shoreline of the lake. We'll be unable to get in through the air._"

Katie nodded. "_Hence the Waterstorm cloak._"

Harry looked from one to the other. "Do either of you want to tell me what's going on?"

The Dementor and mortal both looked back. Katie smirked. "Not particularly. But if you must know, we're going for a little swim."

* * *

The New Demnin airlock was an impressive sight. The huge, steel door, plainly labeled '_Airlock_', was embedded in the northern wall of the town. Further warnings on the door indicated that the airlock was a Level Twenty Five secure area, and that trespassers would face the death penalty. Warnings along the wall were equally important and written in thirty foot tall Azkabaaner print. "_Lake side wall. Do not breach._" 

Kira was waiting for them by the door, Waterstorm cloak in hand. They had not touched down before Esdras had taken the cloak from her and put it on over his armor cloak. She spoke quickly. "_We have managed to fix the problems since the last time you used one of these. The cloak can stay active for six hours and you can engage and disengage afterburners freely without burning through the cloak._"

Esdras nodded gratefully and sealed himself in, he then turned to the mortals. "You'll need Bubblehead Charms."

Harry nodded and quickly cast his spell. Michaelis cast one for Dumbledore. Katie began to cast her own, but Esdras quickly stopped her. "No, you will go back to your Infantry."

Katie shook her head. "Brooms don't work underwater. I assume you're going to be pulling these two along?" At Esdras' nod, she continued. "Dumbledore can barely stay on his broom as it is, he won't be able to stay on at afterburner speeds with water rushing past him. You need someone to hold him in place. That someone is me."

Esdras knew he didn't have time to argue and nodded quickly. Katie cast her charm and shrunk her own broom before taking Dumbledore's broom and supporting the pale wizard. As the four moved into the airlock, the Dementor spoke quickly to them. "It's simple really; we'll just sneak behind enemy lines underwater. Harry, you and Dumbledore will proceed to the castle and Katie and I will do our best to hold them off."

The scarred mortal was naturally impatient. "Fine, let's go."

The Dementor narrowed his hood and moved to a series of three buttons on the side of the wall, each with a line of Azkabaaner script over it. He pressed the first button on the side of the wall and the inner bulkhead closed and sealed. The second button flooded the chamber. Suspended in the water, Harry hopped onto his broom. Katie helped Dumbledore onto his broom, and then took her position holding him in place. Esdras grabbed the two brooms in his hands and kicked the third button, opening the outer bulkhead. In a flash of silvery blue afterburner jets, the four were on their way.

Esdras plowed through the dark water, able to see perfectly with his Dementor vision. At top speed, he crossed the lake in a matter of seconds, slowing only for Dumbledore to cast the counter-spells to allow their passage through the castle defenses. Esdras remained underwater until he passed beneath the last of the renegades. He then immediately pulled up, breaching the lake surface with a violent spray that coated five unfortunate Dementors in ice thick enough for them to fall back into the lake. The Dementor king disengaged his afterburners and released the broomsticks in his hands. As Harry and Dumbledore pulled away, Katie jumped from the back of the broomstick and landed gracefully on Esdras' back. She drew her wand and pointed it indiscriminately at the towering wall of shocked renegades. "Expecto Patronem!"

At 1.4 million soul equivalents, the powerful Dementor Patronus roared to silvery life. Those Dementors closest to it immediately imploded as their supersolenoids were destroyed by attempting to process too much energy at once. Those farther away were blasted back hundreds of meters, providing Harry and Dumbledore valuable time to reach the castle. Katie enlarged her broomstick and hopped off of Esdras. With sword and wand drawn and eyes of purest Castcloth white, she was a powerful figure that gave the approaching renegades pause. Her voice was emotionless. "_Your orders, Majesty?_"

Esdras screamed, his voice carrying over the communication charm to the three battle groups. "_CHARGE!_"

* * *

Lara Sidara never knew what hit her. One moment she was calmly discussing the threat posed by the loyalist fleet with her Death Eater observers, and the next she was thrown through the air, blindsided by what looked like a silver Dementor. As she struggled to steady herself, she saw an even more terrifying sight. Esdras, the only one able to bear the Glaive of Silence, was slicing his way through her lines, killing a dozen Marines with every sweep of his weapon. His mortal whore was nearby, directing her powerful Patronus to rip through her lines like cheesecloth. 

Sidara floated quickly to the nearest Death Eaters, two low level lieutenants whose names she couldn't be bothered to remember. "You two, kill that girl! Her Patronus will destroy us all!"

The Death Eaters nodded, but before they could raise their wands, the bright green flash of an Avada Kedavra impacted first one in the chest, then the other in the head. The mortals slumped over their brooms and one after another toppled off the side, splashing into the lake below. Sidara looked up, and was confronted by the very mortal she had been taking about. Katie narrowed her eyes at the Dementress admiral. "_Esdras tells me everything, you know._" She screamed with fury. "_No one calls me a whore and lives, you cloaked bitch!_"

The Dementress ignited her afterburners and barely managed to escape the wrath of the mortal's Patronus. She called through her cloak to her troops. "_Regroup and charge! All Marine Fleets, attack the forces defending New Demnin! Ordnance Fleets, provide cover fire!_"

The charm sprang to life, the desperate voice of Captain Ackbar of the 116th Marines coming through. "_Admiral Sidara, it is a trap! We're being attacked from all directions. One hundred thousand troops have appeared out of the Forbidden Forest. They've knocked out most of our Ordnance batteries. Even more troops have appeared over the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. I don't know how, but they're even firing up at us from beneath the surface of the lake! We must retreat, admir…_"

The charm cut off, and Lara knew she was now one more captain short. In the midst of the fray, she managed to find her best division, the 71st Marines. Their numbers had been culled and they were barely holding on. With a few well placed spells, she cleared away some of their attackers and immediately took command. Ascending into the air with them, she took in the battle below. Her military training was as good as any Dementor's and, in fact, better in some ways, for Lara Sidara had long ago been trained as a Marine sniper. She knew that a navy without command officers would be confused and easy to defeat. Esdras was out of the question, the Glaive of Silence made him too powerful. But, in the thick of the battle, Admiral Sidara saw a perfectly viable target.

The 71st Marines swept down from the air at top speed. At four hundred fifty miles per hour, the fifty five Dementors plowed through any opposition. Esdras heard Katie's scream and followed where she was pointing. He shouted out into the fray. "_AARON!_"

Aaron Reaping, wand and sword drawn as he led ten fleets, looked up just in time to see thirty Avada Kedavras and twenty five Reductors strike him square in the torso. The Dementor exploded outwards in a cloud of blood and ichor as the spells hit, then his body was pulled inward as his supersolenoid imploded.

As his friend's cloak fluttered quietly to the lake below, Esdras let out an unholy roar.

Beneath his hood, twin pools of mercury appeared.


	21. Death Ascendant

It's Friday and that means it's time for me to resolve the cliffhanger with another chapter. This time, the dead will rise, heads will roll, and we will see that a sacrifice is only a sacrifice if it is allowed to be made.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful Snood – Actually, despite his annoyance, I think Katie and Esdras give Harry quite a bit of credit. Otherwise, they would have left him in New Demnin while returning Dumbledore to the castle. I think when they refuse to tell Harry the plan it is less about not trusting him with information and more about needing to move quickly and without question. Remember, Dumbledore was gravely ill, so time was of the essence and they couldn't go about explaining every step to him. The fact that Harry didn't know Azkabaaner was a liability to him because he couldn't understand what was going on.

To the ever faithful KRP – You are a very perceptive individual to ask that question and I'm very impressed. As you know, if Esdras makes the change to his divine form, Katie will make the change with him. So now, all that remains to be seen is if the god of death is as merciful as the King of Azkaban.

To the ever faithful Estel A Duath – I don't think the question is "are you ready to die" so much as it is "are you ready to kill". Remember, Esdras is a merciful king.

To the ever faithful perrinette – I'm sorry again for the cliffhanger. I'm glad you like Aaron, though. Honestly, I think he's just as important to these stories as Esdras because he keeps Esdras grounded and stable. Aaron is at once a best friend and a brother to Esdras, always there when he is needed most.

Those of y'all who haven't reviewed should consider it. There are only two chapters left after this! Let me know what you think of my work, I'm interested to hear your opinions. Your reviews help make me a better writer and increase good karma.

And as always, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 21 – Death Ascendant 

It had taken Demnin a few centuries to figure out exactly what he was after he had given up his divinity. He could move freely throughout the world and still carried the power of life and death for his kind, but, for the most part, he went unseen and unheard by them. He existed outside of the bounds of time, able to slow or even stop its passage with the hourglass he carried. And when, at long last, a Dementress died, Demnin was there to welcome her with open arms and show her the way to the fields of silver mint. As the centuries passed, one Dementor after another met him, and Demnin realized what he was. No longer was he a physical god of death, he was now merely a metaphysical representation, a spirit.

Through the years, he watched the physical form he had once occupied. In terms of personality and retained knowledge, both the new Dementor and the divine spirit were exactly the same. And it made the spirit sad, for he had given up his divinity to live a normal life with a beautiful Dementress and now his physical body was doing just that while he would never have such a luxury. The physical Demnin joined all of Azkaban together into a strong nation and raised a wonderful family, destined to rule for generations. This pleased the spirit greatly, but the sadness was still there. So the spirit floated the earth, seeing the world, returning only to Azkaban when needed. It was during his travels that he met the one to change his life…or metaphysical existence, whatever one wanted to call it.

Death, as she had called herself, had been harried and overworked. The bringer of death for the mortals, she was constantly moving across the face of the earth, always working, always on the run, and, oddly enough, always wondering why her charges always thought her to be male. Demnin had met her almost four thousand years ago at one of the many battles between the magical mortals and Dementors during that time. They got on well together, and, after Demnin had finished his duties, he had offered to help her with hers. He wasn't as good at her job though, and had to return a few prematurely taken individuals. He would occasionally wonder what those poor souls thought when they saw the brilliant glow of the Wellspring of Ages and his towering white form telling them to walk away from the light, that it wasn't their time yet and they should go back on their merry way.

They met regularly during the following millennia. They became friends and would occasionally slip into the mortal realm for a quiet evening together, anything from a beer in Babylon to a cup of cocoa in Teotihuacán, depending on the rise and fall of civilizations at the time. Finally, one incredible night, after a wonderful dinner and a beautiful theatre performance in Venice, they became lovers. The next morning, he had woken up alone. The note on the pillow from an apologetic Death spoke of a plague and, naturally, her presence was needed. Demnin spent the next few decades following her trail, trying to find her, but the disease was sweeping the European continent and she was always on the move.

He had not seen her in over six centuries when they had both appeared, slightly confused, in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts. It was a relief to see her and to see that their mutual affection had, if anything, grown in the time they had been apart. When they separated from their mortal hosts, they had embraced and Death had spoken of how their miraculous reunion was proof that they were meant to be together. Demnin figured it was because they were both immortal, metaphysical beings. But Death had always been the romantic sort.

The last few months had been incredible and the pair had been inseparable as they spent their free time rekindling their relationship. Sadly, though, tonight they were all business. The two spirits found themselves over the lake in the shadow of Hogwarts. Death sighed softly as they floated through the temporally frozen battlefield over the lake. She had already taken one soul tonight, a very nice, very kind, very important old man, and she knew there would still be many more to reap. She shook her head sadly as she sat astride her scythe, her preferred method of transportation when dealing with matters in the air. "Magical battles are always the worst, so many emotions involved and almost always hand to hand combat. Muggles have such advanced weaponry that they hardly have to think about it any more."

Demnin sighed and nodded, his mercuric eyes scanning the carnage. "You are correct, my darling." He pointed to the form of Esdras Demnin, frozen in midair and mid-roar. "But look, he is ready. The transformation will be of his own volition."

Death nodded slightly at this and turned her liquid black eyes to the mortal who would be her successor. Katie was frozen in mid-scream, still pointing at where Aaron had died. "If he is to transform, then she is to transform as well." She smiled softly. "They are very much like us, my love. It would be very selfish of us to rob them of what they have."

The Dementor god of death considered this for a moment. "You are right. They are very much like us. They have incredible strength. Together they are even stronger."

The mortal bringer of death smiled. "Then they are exactly like us. Perhaps they have enough strength to play two roles at once?"

Demnin pondered this, and then laughed softly before placing his hands upon Esdras' head. "There is only one way to find out. It will take them time to come into their powers, but I have faith in them." Death copied Demnin's action, placing her hands upon Katie's head. Before the pair of divinities imposed their will, the Dementor god called out. "I'll see you on the other side."

* * *

Rage. Sadness. Hatred. Pain. Fear. Anger. Love. Terror. Grief. Fury. Friendship. Loss. The torrent of emotions filled Esdras as he watched Aaron's cloak flutter to the lake below. The feelings crashed into each other, amplifying themselves within his body and soul until it felt like he would explode. And then, through the fury of emotion, the voice spoke to him. "_It is time, my child. You will be the one to guide your people from this tribulation. Take now the power of Demnin, god of death. Use it well._" 

Esdras' unholy roar grew deeper and richer, resonating with itself. It was echoed a fraction of a second later by Katie in a harmonic tone. The battle around them fell silent as the pair was inexplicably pulled to one another. Together, locked in an embrace, they began their transformations. Esdras' body stretched painfully, growing the extra three feet accorded to him by divinity. The black metal of Esdras' armor cloak glowed white hot, resolving itself into armor plates of platinum alloy. Beneath his hood, his mercury eyes shone with mirror smooth brilliance. In one hand he gripped the now luminous Glaive of Silence; in the other he held the ichor filled hourglass. Katie, held tightly at Esdras' side, took on a black glow that seemed to absorb the white heat coming from Esdras. When it had subsided, her blond, cloaked form had been replaced by a black haired form in pitch black corset, skirt, and cloak. Her eyes were no longer warm chocolate or even Castcloth white. Instead, her irises and sclera had changed to become inky black pools. In her hands, she carried the scythe and sand filled hourglass of her rank.

With a mighty roar that deafened all on the battlefield, a new feature emerged for Esdras. In the center of the Dementor god's chest, a blinding light appeared, piercing his body from back to front. Demnin spoke with a voice that was both as soft as a whisper and as loud as thunder. "_No Dementor shall die this day._"

To prove his point, the blinding light from his chest expanded, radiating around him and spreading across the battlefield in all directions. At the exact location where each and every Dementor had died, a pillar of light formed. When the light resolved, there again floated the recently deceased, fully restored to life. Everyone from the startled renegades felled by the Glaive of Silence to the crews of the decimated renegade Ordnance batteries, the fallen of the loyal Infantry Fleets to Prime Minister Lord Admiral Aaron Martius Reaping gasped in surprise as they found themselves alive, intact, and breathing once again.

With his will now complete, Demnin again spoke, his voice echoing across the lake. "_Behold the power of the Wellspring of Ages and heed my command that no Dementor shall die this day. This is the word of Demnin, who must be obeyed._"

The sum total of both navies, 1,582,296 Dementors, floated in awe of the tremendous show of power and in abject fear of the twelve foot tall god. However, unheeded by fear and unimpressed by power, the ten Death Eaters still alive began an attack run on the pair, still under orders to take out Katie. As the Avada Kedavra spells began to fly around the pair, Death turned to face her attackers. She simply extended her scythe at them and spoke, her whisper echoing across the lake. "Die."

At once, all ten Death Eaters fell like stones into the water below. Death slipped from Demnin's embrace and settled herself onto her scythe, floating beside Demnin. She looked afraid. "_Esdras, is that you?_"

The divine Dementor nodded, himself in shock of the feats they had just performed entirely on instinct. "_Katie?_" At her relieved nod he let out a sigh of thanks. "_Yes, it's me…but how?_"

Death looked up with pure black eyes. "_I don't know. I'm afraid._" She shivered. "_Those last Death Eaters…I don't know what happened. I didn't even touch them, I just willed them dead and they fell._"

Demnin nodded. "_I know, I did the same with the troops who had died. I willed them all to life._" The Dementor sighed in concern. "_We'll figure all this out later. Right now, we need to deal with this battle._"

The mortal bringer of death nodded and stared at the many Dementors around them who had fallen to their knees where they floated, awestruck and chanting prayers and supplications to their deity. One Dementress, however, did no such thing. Lara Sidara cast a Sonorus charm and screamed out to her troops. "_Attack, you fools! Can't you see it is a trick? He is playing into your fears! Get off your knees and fight!_"

The god floated past the angered Dementress without a care in the world. He spoke, his voice coming from everywhere at once. "_I find your lack of faith disturbing. I will prove my powers to you again._" He turned to a soldier, one of the ones not kneeling. "_Renegade Vice Admiral Bardiel Thermis, why do you not kneel and offer prayers?_"

The renegade admiral narrowed his hood and spoke bitterly. "_If you are truly who you claim to be, then you already know._"

Demnin nodded sadly. "_I do, Bardiel. It is because of your son, who was taken from you these many years ago._" He placed a hand upon the admiral's shoulder. "_Tell me, my child, how did he die?_"

Bardiel shivered, unafraid of the height, but seemingly entranced by the mirror calm eyes in the shadow of Demnin's hood. He spoke slowly, calmly. "_We were on vacation, my wife and Sandalphon and I. I…I turned my back for a second. I don't know where the mortals came from, but…but they…_" Tears of ice fell from beneath the admiral's hood as he brought up the painful memory. "_We tried to take him to St. Mungo's, it was closest, but they wouldn't let us in. A single Patronus of but a few soul equivalents could have saved him, but they chased us away. My son…he died before we could get him to Cerah Hospital on Azkaban._" His hood narrowed. "_I prayed to the gods to keep him alive long enough to reach Azkaban, but they didn't. They abandoned my son when he needed them, so I abandon them. I will take my revenge on the mortals, too. They would not even aid a helpless cloakling. But I will teach them a lesson, I will make them pay!_"

The god-king nodded, and gently took the admiral's hands in his own, bringing them to the glowing Wellspring in his chest. He calmly pressed Bardiel's arms into the glowing space, where they disappeared into a seemingly endless void. When Demnin finally pulled away, a tiny cloaked bundle in the admiral's hands squirmed to life. A small face peeked from beneath the hood of its cloak. "_Papa?_"

Vice Admiral Bardiel Thermis, hardened by hatred, war, and loss, melted. He hugged the small cloaking tight and cried icy tears of joy. "_Sandalphon? My son! Oh, my son…_" He looked up to the towering form of the Dementor god and bowed his head, his voice heavy and thick with tears. "_I praise thee, Demnin, god of Death._"

Demnin nodded and placed a hand upon the Dementor's hood. His voice echoed for all to hear. "_I have fulfilled the prophecy of the Oracle: in the darkest hour, king and god have become one. The dead have risen; I have saved the lost child, and the lost people. Bear witness, and tell of what you have seen to those not here. I will restore our people; those who wish to join me will be welcomed in New Demnin with open arms. This battle is over, go now from this place._" He called down into the fray. "_Come forth, Aaron Reaping._"

Aaron, resurrected and sore afraid, shot forward from the mass of kneeling Dementors and humbly came to kneel at Demnin's feet. "_I am here, Mighty Demnin._"

Unaware of how, Demnin extinguished the light of the Wellspring of Ages and looked down at his Prime Minister. "_Aaron, you idiot, it's me. I need your help._"

Aaron looked up in shock. "_Esdras?_"

The Dementor god smacked the admiral on the hood. "_Of course it's me, you great oaf._" Despite the severity of the situation, Aaron let out a relieved laugh. Demnin indicated the great mass of Dementors before them. "_I have a feeling that not even Lara will be able to stir up trouble after this. See too all these Dementors and tend to the wounded. Any who wish to stay are welcome to, any who wish to leave shall be allowed to. If they return, especially with their families, they are to be welcomed with open arms._"

The Prime Minister of Azkaban nodded quickly. "_Yes, Divine Majesty._"

Any further instructions from Demnin were halted when Death startled and gasped. She turned her midnight black eyes to Demnin and spoke with urgency. "_We have to get to the castle. I…I am needed._" She then turned to Aaron. "_No Dementor must interfere or enter the Hogwarts grounds until I say otherwise. There will come a time when our wars will intertwine, but for now, the mortal battle must be fought by mortals just as the Dementor battle must be fought by Dementors._"

Aaron turned to Demnin for confirmation and the king nodded. "_The word of Death shall be obeyed as the word of Demnin. You have your orders._"

* * *

Hermione was in a world of trouble. After Harry had passed by, intent on catching both Malfoy and Snape, the firefight had grown. Order members had either fallen wounded or were pinned down by heavy crossfire. The column she had taken refuge behind was quickly being worn down by Death Eater Reductor spells. Neville and Luna were in similar situations, but more terrifying was the fact that Ron and Ginny were both face down on the floor. She had watched in horror as Ginny was felled by a Reductor, the red blast ripping a savage hole through her chest and leaving her in a wide puddle of blood. She had missed the spell that had struck Ron. All she knew was that, from her pinned down position, she had been forced to watch as his ragged breathing slowed and eventually stopped. 

The Death Eaters continued to advance and Hermione wondered exactly how long they could hold their position. Her thoughts failed her when the wall behind her exploded. She spun about, fully prepared to fight a battle on two fronts, but stayed the spell from her wand when she saw who flew through the jagged hole in the stone wall. Death shouted an order to her companion. "Esdras, shield!"

Demnin landed gracefully in front of their position and faced the opposition, his armor cloak billowing wildly to produce a platinum barrier in front of them. The dull thuds of the Death Eater spells meant that the barrier was holding fast. Luna and Neville hurried from their positions into the safety of Demnin's barrier while Hermione rushed to Ron. She turned him over and struggled to find a pulse on his wrist. Failing to do so, she checked his neck. Failing again and lacking any magical recourse, she joined her hands together and began compressing his chest, tears streaming from her eyes as she attempted to resuscitate him. She looked up at her now raven haired housemate. "I don't understand it; we all drank the Felix Felicis. Their luck should have protected them!"

Death knelt in the blood between Ron and Ginny, her face calm. She placed her hands over Hermione's and, with effort, pulled them away. Her whisper echoed softly. "Their luck has not failed them, for it is not their time to die."

Demnin called out to them from the other side of the platinum armor cloak. His voice echoed dispassionately. "Katie, there are two Death Eaters closing in."

Death looked up, and Hermione watched as her eyes seemed to focus through the impenetrable barrier that Demnin had created for them. Her eyes darted from one side to the other, presumably where the approaching enemies were. She spoke in a quiet echo. "Kill the one on the left; wound the one on the right and make sure he retreats."

As Demnin cast the appropriate spells, Hermione seemed to take in Katie's new appearance. Gasping, she backed away. "You're not Katie…"

The mortal Death shook her head. "I am, and I am also that which you fear." She waved her scythe over the bodies and an hourglass appeared on each one. The top reservoir of each was conspicuously empty of sand. Death took her master hourglass and slowly added more sand to each one. She filled both almost to the top, yet the amount of sand in her hourglass never changed. She smiled, her black eyes shining. "That which I take away, I can give back when the time is not right."

True to her word, the hourglasses of the Weasley children disappeared, leaving the pair whole and uninjured. First Ginny, then Ron took a ragged breath. Within seconds, their eyes were open. Ron was the first to speak. "What happened…?"

Death spoke with authority, her voice echoing loudly. "We'll discuss that later. We have to get out of here." She looked up to the towering form acting as her shield. "Esdras, get back here!"

The Dementor god spun around, reforming the barrier with his armor cloak as soon as the maneuver was complete. After a few seconds of concentration, Demnin the Dementor god was gone, replaced with an incredible variation of Esdras' animagus spell. Halved in height, he stood six feet tall, but his dusty blonde hair was now pure Dementor white. His eyes still glowed green, but the glowing irises were implanted on the mercury eyes of his divine form. He nodded to Death. "Talk to me."

The mortal Death rose and held her scythe in a ready position. She spoke with the omniscience that only someone of her power could possess. "By entering this battle when we did, we created the distraction necessary for the forces of the Order to push most of the Death Eaters into retreat. I will reap the last holdouts. You will protect Ginny and the others. Give me a ten second head start."

Demnin nodded and let her pass behind his cloak. Almost immediately, he started hearing screams of pain and terror. He calmly counted to ten and, at the end of the count, spun and led his charges through the halls of the castle. As they turned a corner, the young mortals in the Dementor god's wake were shocked to see blood coating the walls and floor of the hallway. Bodies of Death Eaters lay everywhere, cut limb from limb. Demnin looked to the end of the hall where Death calmly and emotionlessly brought her weapon down, taking the head from an unfortunate straggler's shoulders, shattering her hourglass in the process. The Order members seemed totally shocked by the force that had just passed by, but were quickly recovering and helping their wounded. As he ran, Demnin had just enough time to spot Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, the latter in severe pain, aiding Tonks. The young auror was barely noticeable with her mousy brown hair and was lying crumpled on the floor. Bill Weasley was no better off, face down in a small pool of blood.

As they descended the main stairwell, Demnin saw Death looking towards the Great Hall. She was unable to see the broad shouldered Death Eater hiding behind a nearby pillar. Demnin launched from the steps the second he saw the man make a move for his wand. Death's voice echoed through the hall as the Dementor god descended with Glaive drawn. "You think you are hidden, but you are not. Fear not, I will not kill you this day…"

The Death Eater stepped from behind the pillar, his wand drawn. He spoke with nervous excitement at the thought of making his kill. "Avada…"

He never finished. Demnin landed behind him and brought his weapon down with a swift motion. The Glaive of Silence split the Death Eater cleanly in half from top to bottom. As the two halves separated like a banana peel, Death spoke quietly. "…he will."

Death lowered her scythe and looked to Demnin. Knowing this meant the battle was ended, he lowered his Glaive as well. The two divinities joined up with the loyal five of the DA and stepped through the front door into an otherworldly scene. The ground was littered with smoldering craters and bodies, students in varying stages of shock were wandering around helpless. In the distance could be seen the remains of Hagrid's hut, charred and gutted by a now extinguished fire. The divine Dementor looked to Death, who nodded as she calmly wiped the blood from her scythe. He raised his hood and called out through the communication charm. "_This is a Priority One command; by the order of Death, destroyer of worlds, all action has terminated on the Hogwarts front. The 1102__nd__, 1254__th__, and 1900__th__ Hospital Divisions, First through Tenth Fleets, and 21__st__ Engineering Fleet are to report to Hogwarts immediately for emergency duty. That is all._"

* * *

In previous years, over ten thousand Dementors descending onto the Hogwarts grounds would have been met with fear and panic. Those times were long since passed, and the Dementor force was met with scattered cheers and applause. The Dementors began to spread out, and the Hospital Divisions quickly began to triage and treat the wounded while the Engineering Fleet began to work on repairing and stabilizing the castle grounds and wards. Aaron himself had led the emergency crew from New Demnin. With the battle over and the ichodrenaline rush failing, the Prime Minister of Azkaban, recently brought back from the dead, was shaking as he floated to meet Death and Demnin. "_The renegade forces are in retreat. Only five thousand have remained and surrendered, though. We are feeding them and placing them under guard for the moment._" 

Demnin nodded slowly, infinitely calm from the divine power he wielded. "_More will arrive in the days to come, for many have their families to consider. We will begin reintegrating them into our society at that time. Have the Engineering fleets expand New Demnin to hold another two million. We will be ready to accept them with open arms when they arrive._"

Aaron saluted. "_Yes, Divine Majesty._"

Together, the trio descended the castle stairs and wandered into the chaos on the castle grounds. It was a few moments before they ran into a familiar face. Ellen Riley ran up to Demnin, panting and out of breath. Her eyes widened at the sight of his mercuric eyes and she curtsied deeply. She spoke in flawless Azkabaaner. "_Mighty Demnin, have you seen my Ian anywhere? I overheard two doctors talking about a battle and I am worried._"

Demnin shook his hood and smiled softly. "_He is fine, my child. He should be around here somewhere. The Fourth Fleet has been deployed to assist Hogwarts._"

Ellen nodded and ran off. Demnin, Death, and Aaron continued walking for a few seconds until a joyous cry came from behind them. "_Ellen!_"

The trio turned, and was greeted by a heartwarming sight. The black cloaked form of Ian Tabris rushed forward and swept Ellen up, hugging her tightly. They both began to cry happily. Ellen, uncaring of the chill held behind his hood, pulled the garment back and gave him a passionate kiss, freezing her tears to her face. Aaron, watching this, let out a relieved sigh. "_At least they get a happy ending tonight._"

Demnin smiled and nodded, but Death was distracted. She pointed to a large knot of students that had formed in the shadow of the Astronomy Tower. "_What's going on over there?_"

They all watched as the crowd milled about. Through the gaps in the students, Demnin caught sight of a flash of purple fabric. He tensed. "_No…_" Demnin picked up Death and flew forward, Aaron at his side. "_Oh gods no!_"

Arriving at the crowd and pushing through, they were met with the sight that Demnin had prayed he wouldn't see. Before them, crumpled on the grass in the shadow of the castle, was the broken body of Albus Dumbledore. Death choked back a sob and buried herself into the platinum shelter of Demnin's armor cloak. Aaron began a prayer to the gods for mercy that Demnin was quick to join. They were interrupted when a voice called out. "You! You did this! You have to change it back!"

Harry Potter knelt at Dumbledore's side. Ginny had her arm wrapped around his shoulder, but the Boy Who Lived ignored her, instead choosing to stare at the two incarnations of death with fire in his eyes. Death wiped away her tears and stared at the body with her obsidian eyes, studying the situation. After a moment, she shook her head. "It was not me. This was done before I took the position. Besides, I can't change anything, Harry. It was Dumbledore's time. I cannot bring him back, to do so would upset the balance."

The scarred mortal stood up, abandoning Ginny and circling around the body. He came to stand eye to eye with Death. "I don't care. I don't care if it was his time and I certainly don't give a damn about the balance. We need Dumbledore. You have the power to bring him back, so do it! You have to do it!"

Demnin, seeing where this was headed, narrowed his glowing eyes. "Harry, back off…"

Death was crying openly now. "I can't, Harry. I just can't!"

In the heat of anger and sadness, here Harry made his greatest mistake. He grabbed Death by the cloak and shook her. The mortal never had a chance. Demnin struck Harry with the broad side of the Glaive of Silence and sent him flying thirty feet into the air. When he landed, the Dementor god was already upon him. Having abandoned his mortal form, Demnin towered twelve feet tall over the mortal. Dropping from his float, he brought his foot firmly against Harry's windpipe and the balanced the platinum blade of the Glaive lightly on his chest. Demnin's voice rolled like thunder and echoed with unconcealed rage. "I said back off."

The Boy Who Lived struggled for breath beneath the Dementor's foot as Demnin stared down at him. It was a few very long seconds before Ginny appeared at Demnin's side, placing her hand atop Demnin's. "_Spare him, Esdras. It is not worth it._"

Death appeared at his other side, wrapping her slender arms about his waist. "You must spare him, my love. It is not yet his time. Release the ignorant youth." She suddenly looked very tired. "_The battle is over._"

The two soothing voices blended together with a haunting melody. In the darkness of the night, Fawkes began to cry out a haunting song, a dirge for his lost friend and master. These three factors conspired together, and Demnin suddenly felt tired as well. He withdrew the Glaive and retreated from the prone mortal. Staggering slightly, the Dementor god turned to face Aaron. "_See to things, my friend. I must rest._"

Aaron nodded and saluted, but quickly dropped the salute as his friend toppled forward. With one arm, he caught the falling Dementor god. With the other, he caught the falling mortal death. Both were breathing softly, caught in a deep sleep.


	22. Aftermath

Monday again. Not a particularly good one, but a Monday nonetheless. Maybe a chapter will make things more agreeable. This time, the school recovers from the battle and plans for the future are made.

My thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful KRP – I'm pretty sure all three were part of the battle, sure enough to put money on it. And there are more than a mere few Dementors not returning. Recall that the renegades numbered over two million and only five thousand have stayed behind so far. More are coming, but still. Any questions on the state of their divine forms are answered in this chapter. As for the anonymous Death Eater problem, you have to consider that they're hardly good people, and, like the Malfoys, their families probably aren't, either. Plus, you have to remember that it is a war. It's them or us.

To the ever faithful perrinette – I know things are a little strange now, but I thank you for trusting me enough to see where I'm going with the stories. I do have a plan, and I hope you will like it.

To the oddly faithful buffalo1 – Thanks! I'm glad you liked the action, it took a lot of time and effort to write, so I'm glad it came out well. As for Harry doing a Vernon impersonation, you have to admit that even you would lose your cool if someone with the power to bring back the dead told you that they couldn't do it. Plus, I do admit that I've been sowing the seeds of discord between Harry and Esdras these last few chapters. It will come to a head in the last chapter of this story.

All the rest of y'all should review. I enjoy hearing your opinions and reviewing creates good karma. And, of course, your reviews help make me a better writer.

There's only one more chapter left after this, then a long dead period until the next book. Speaking of which, would anyone be interested in a series of intermediate one shots (little fun stories set either in Esdras' early life or during the stories)? Let me know, and I may start writing them.

And as usual, _all text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 22 – Aftermath 

Madame Pomfrey was glad to have the assistance of the Azkaban Medical Services. The 1254th Hospital Division had set up a minor injury clinic in the Great Hall and was busy healing small cuts and mending broken bones. The 1102nd had followed her to the Hospital Wing to aid with the major spell damage cases. With twenty Dementor doctors with flawless technique and a myriad of nurses and specialists, they were processing most of the major cases at a rate she could only dream about. All told, the Hogwarts Hospital Wing was currently operating at well over a hundred times its normal efficiency.

Even with Dementor assistance, Madame Pomfrey still had her work cut out for her. She had handed Bill Weasley off to Dr. Payne, who was treating the non-transformed werewolf bites that Fenrir Greyback had inflicted on the boy's face. The current operating theory was that the medicine of a magical creature would work better at healing the wounds caused by another magical creature. While it was obvious that the Weasley child would never look the same, and would probably take on mild lycanthropic traits, Payne was confident that scarring could be reduced. The school nurse was glad to not have to deal with him, for the combination of Mrs. Weasley and Fleur made working conditions quite difficult. The Dementor doctor handled them quite effortlessly, silencing them with a low and deadly hiss if their intrusions became too much.

Pomfrey herself was overseeing the treatment of Nymphadora Tonks while simultaneously trying to keep a rather nervous Remus Lupin at bay. The two Dementor nurses at her side seemed to be almost psychic, as they had whatever she needed ready for her ten seconds before she needed it and had pulled the anxious werewolf aside to chide him numerous times.

By far the most unusual cases were Esdras Demnin and Katie Bell, both of whom seemed to be completely healthy, but in a deep sleep. As she finished up work on Tonks, she gave the brown haired Metamorphmagus a gentle squeeze on the shoulder and walked over to Dr. Transom, who was floating between the two demigods' beds. She watched as he cast triage spells for what seemed like the hundredth time. "Anything yet?"

Dr. Transom didn't look up from the triage spells that were currently cycling through atop the pair. The response came back the same, 'Insufficient Data to Analyze'.

The doctor sighed and gestured to the two. "I have no idea what's wrong with them. The triage spell comes up the same each time, and I'm not surprised as to why." He cast another triage spell over Esdras. This time, it sprang to life, presenting a view of the Dementor king's supersolenoid. Over half of it was covered with a yellow warning hue. As he enlarged the view to the cellular level, he spoke. "Esdras has experienced massive metasolenoid growth; over fifty five percent of his supersolenoid organ now displays metasolenoid characteristics. I wouldn't be surprised if he no longer registers as Dementor to the spell. Since Katie is directly linked to Esdras, I wouldn't be surprised if the same were true for her. I doubt she is completely mortal anymore."

The nurse nodded. After the pair had fallen into their slumber, a quick but incomplete reverse transformation had occurred. She indicated Katie's hair; the lustrous blonde was now highlighted with black. "I think that much is obvious."

A new voice joined them. Aaron had quietly glided into the Hospital Wing and come to rest beside them. "Between all that's happened to them and the transformations, I wouldn't be surprised if they were both exhausted."

Dr. Transom considered this for a minute and shrugged. "It's as good a guess as any." He turned to the nearest Dementor nurse. "_Prepare two syringes: one with two hundred milliliters of ichodrenaline and the other with twenty milliliters of adrenaline, platinum trauma needles for both._"

The nurse nodded and quickly returned with the two syringes. The Dementor doctor handed the adrenaline syringe to Madame Pomfrey, who looked at it with curiosity, unaccustomed to the device. Aaron sighed and took it from her, deftly injecting the contents into the vein in Katie's arm as Michaelis finished the much larger injection of glowing green liquid directly into Esdras' supersolenoid. Sure enough, with almost comical efficiency, both bolted upright and gasped for breath. Esdras was the first to speak. "_What the hell just happened?!_"

Katie struggled to calm her heart, racing from the adrenaline. "Was that just a dream? Please tell me all that was just a dream."

Aaron sighed and shook his hood. "No dream, I'm afraid. What happened? Do either of you know?"

Esdras sighed and looked down at himself. His armor cloak was still platinum, but his body was only nine feet tall. And from the way Aaron was looking at him, he gathered something was unusual that he couldn't see. Summoning a mirror, his fears were confirmed. His eyes were still mirror calm pools of mercury. Esdras sighed and lowered his hood to rub his face. "I couldn't explain it to you if I tried, Aaron. I just…I knew everything…"

Katie nodded and took the mirror. In addition to the highlights in her hair, her eyes had retained the black sclera, creating inky black pools with her Castcloth white irises overlaid. She removed her cloak and sighed softly as her irises turned brown again. "Same here. I could tell you everything that had happened anywhere in the world…ever. I was able to see how long everyone had to live." She looked closely at Madame Pomfrey. "But I can't anymore…"

The Dementor nodded and rose up from his bed, unclasping the armor cloak around his shoulders. In reverse, the platinum bands of armor retracted to leave a pure white garment with a wide border of royal platinum. Esdras shook his hood at this and took his animagus form. Taking the mirror from Katie, he once again looked at his reflection. His dusty blonde hair was highlighted like Katie's, except in white. His eyes still glowed with green irises, but the familiar glow was again supplanted over pools of mercury. He huffed slightly and vanished the mirror. "I do know this much, though. I only used a fraction of the power I was capable of. Something was keeping me from accessing it all. I have a feeling that this was just a training session. The full powers of the divinity won't be unleashed until a later time."

Transom nodded slightly at this. "That would make sense; otherwise you'd already have a complete metasolenoid organ."

Aaron nodded. "That's all well and good, but when will you unleash the full power of Demnin?"

Esdras sighed and shrugged. The Dementors and mortals were cast in abject silence for a few seconds until an insistent cry from the opposite end of the hospital wing. "I don't care, Remus. I don't care if you're old, or poor, or a werewolf. I love you. That's all that matters."

The group looked across the room to where a rather red faced Lupin was attempting to calm an equally red faced Tonks. The first tinges of pink were starting to appear in her hair and she looked as though she would not calm easily. As Mrs. Weasley joined the fight against Lupin's rejection of the young auror's feelings, Madame Pomfrey smirked. "If you'll excuse me, I believe our Miss Tonks is feeling better. Under normal circumstances, I'd keep you both here for observation, but these are hardly normal circumstances. You're both free to go."

As the nurse walked off, Aaron turned to Esdras, a serious expression in his hood. "Headmistress McGonagall is in a meeting right now with the heads of house. She wanted to meet with you as soon as you woke up. If you're ready, we should be on our way."

* * *

As Aaron, Esdras, and Katie ascended the moving staircase to the headmistress' office, the King of Azkaban was trying to get his head around the more disturbing components of the night's events. "_And you're sure it was Snape?_" 

Aaron nodded. "_Harry was there, he saw it go down. Draco had been under orders to assassinate Dumbledore since the start of the school year, hence the rash of near fatal incidents._"

Esdras hissed angrily. "_Well, now that I know I have him to thank for that, I'll take even more pleasure in bringing him to death._"

Katie's voice, however, was dead calm. "_My dear, you forget that mortal death is my domain. I will take great pleasure in silencing the ferret permanently. But perhaps I will allow you the honors…as a treat._"

Esdras laughed softly at this, and Aaron calmly continued. "_Anyway, in a fit of either cowardice or humanity, Draco couldn't complete his mission. Snape killed Dumbledore. The timeline is still speculative, but we believe it must have happened only seconds before I was struck down myself._" He shivered at the mention of this. "_It's the only way Dumbledore could have been assassinated without Katie having been involved. Death took him before Katie assumed the job._"

Katie nodded sadly. "_I wish I had had the chance to say goodbye._"

Esdras placed an arm around her shoulder and squeezed. "_Me, too._"

They reached the top of the moving stairwell and passed through the griffin door. There, behind the desk that Dumbledore had occupied only hours earlier, sat Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. Behind her on the wall was a very large portrait of Dumbledore, who appeared to be asleep at the moment. The other two heads of house plus Slughorn representing Slytherin, Harry, and a bawling Hagrid rounded out the group. McGonagall rose when the trio entered. "Esdras, Katie, I'm glad to see that you both are up and awake. I was just discussing with the heads of house as to whether or not we should close the school next year."

The Dementor king straightened, making eye contact with Slughorn, Sprout, Flitwick, and McGonagall in turn. "The decision is, of course, yours to make. However, I can promise you that New Demnin and her troops will still be here. Hogwarts will not lack for protection, not on my watch."

McGonagall seemed to relax slightly at this and nodded. "I will certainly take that into consideration. I've already decided to allow the students to stay at Hogwarts for Dumbledore's funeral, should they so choose. I know it was his wish to be buried here at Hogwarts, and I'm certain he would want the students to have closure."

Esdras nodded sharply. "I will see that the appropriate security measures are in place before the ceremony."

The headmistress nodded idly, and then once again addressed the Dementor king. "Esdras, I was wondering if you or any of your men knew what Dumbledore was doing before he died." She gestured to the side of her desk where, hidden in the shadows behind Slughorn, Harry Potter sat stone faced. "Harry has been unwilling to shed any light into the matter, and I had hoped that perhaps Dumbledore had confided in you."

Aaron and Katie both looked to Esdras, but the Dementor locked eyes with Harry, who never lowered his defiant glare. Finally, Esdras spoke. "No, Headmistress. Dumbledore kept his plans to himself, I'm afraid. I am unaware as to what he was involved in tonight."

McGonagall took this at face value and nodded quickly. "Very well then." She turned to Katie. "Captain Bell, would you see Harry back to the Gryffindor dormitory?"

Katie nodded. "Yes, Headmistress."

Together the four proceeded from the Headmistress' office and down the moving staircase. Silence reigned until they were far down the hallway. There Esdras stopped and turned, confronting Harry. "What is the status of the Horcrux?"

Harry, defiant glare still in place, spat back at the Dementor. "Why the hell should I tell you anything?"

Esdras hissed menacingly, his voice thick with his Azkabaaner accent. "Because I saved your ass back there. You know McGonagall and the Order would be going mental if they knew you were on a Horcrux hunt. Maybe I should go back and tell them."

The scarred mortal held his arm out, blocking Esdras' passage. "Fine, but first I want to hear you say I was right."

The Dementor sighed and rubbed his temples. "I never thought you would be one to require ego stroking, but sure, if that's how you want to play the game. You were right; Draco and Snape were both well entrenched spies." Harry looked smugly confident until Esdras continued. "But then, of course, I never said you were wrong. I merely never had the resources to help you because I was too busy fighting the war on a global scale, keeping millions of mortals and Dementors safe. I won't apologize for that."

Harry's smug look quickly evaporated into a glare. "It was a fake." He opened his hand and held it out to Esdras. There, shining in the candlelight, was a golden locket. "Someone got to it before us and replaced the original with this."

Eyes and hoods widened in shock as Esdras took the locket from Harry and opened it to reveal the note hidden within. They all read it and Katie looked curiously from the note to the locket again. "Who is R.A.B.?"

Harry ripped the fake Horcrux and note from Esdras' hands. His voice was icy cold when he spoke. "No clue, but I intend to find out."

* * *

Repairs to the castle and its surroundings continued on into the night. And by three in the morning, four cloaked figures were on the castle ramparts watching the engineers doing their repair work. Both Esdras and Katie, still wide awake from their respective ichodrenaline and adrenaline shots, stood with Aaron and Dr. Transom. The doctor was updating the pair on his finding. "_I ran the autopsy spells twice, and they came back the same both times. Dumbledore was assassinated at close range by an Avada Kedavra spell. Reverse trace on the wand composition matches the size, material, and magical core of the wand used by Severus Snape._" 

Esdras sighed. "_Not that I ever doubted Harry, but it would just make things so much easier if he were wrong._"

Michaelis nodded and hesitated before continuing, addressing both Esdras and Katie. "_I've managed to modify a triage spell enough to give basic readings on your new forms. You are both fine for now._" He sighed and shook his hood. "_However, I don't know how long I'll be able to monitor you if these transformations keep occurring. Do you remember what triggered it?_"

The Dementor demigod nodded slowly. Katie was cradled in his arms and his eyes of glowing green and mercury were a million miles away as he looked across the lake. "_I felt._" He paused to gather his thoughts before continuing. "_I felt everything, every emotion, all at once. And then all was calm. I can't explain it any better than that._"

The doctor nodded. "_Well, now we know. I won't attempt to tell you to block you power or prevent your transformation. You are wiser than I, mighty Demnin._"

Esdras nodded slightly. He turned his head slowly, facing northeast towards Azkaban. "_I have to know more about what is happening to me, Michaelis. There has to be some record or some instructions left by the ancients. I refuse to believe that my ancestors would leave me to my own devices in such a difficult stage. As soon as possible, I will go to Azkaban. I must consult the Royal Archives._"

Katie stirred. "_I will go with you._"

The demigod barely nodded and Michaelis placed his skeletal, grey hand on Esdras' shoulder. The doctor spoke softly. "_If I had known when I delivered you these many years ago that you would be the one, that all this would befall you…_"

He was silenced when Esdras' hand came to rest upon his own. The Dementor king spoke quietly. "_My blessing be upon thee, Michaelis Transom, and favored be thy house._"

Transom nodded silently, and the four remained quiet as they watched the Dementors work in the courtyard below them. After a long while, one of the Dementors from below floated up to join them. A young ensign from the 21st Engineering Fleet saluted and bowed deeply. "_Divine Majesty, Lady Katherine, your presence is required in the courtyard, if you will._"

Wordlessly, Esdras lifted Katie into his arms and floated behind the ensign to the grass below. With Aaron and Dr. Transom following, the five made their way to where Esdras and Katie had fallen into unconsciousness. There, glowing in the moonlight, lay the Glaive of Silence and the scythe. Admiral Valerie Rook, commander of the 21st Engineering Fleet, waited beside the two weapons. "_We didn't try to move the Glaive; we knew that would be impossible. But the scythe is equally immobile._"

Katie knelt and picked up her weapon. "_This is the Scythe of Death. Why didn't it disappear this time?_"

The Dementor king took the Glaive from the ground and calmly tucked it into his sleeve. "_Most likely because you have assumed enough power to properly wield the weapon. If it is anything like the Glaive, no one but you will be able to lift it, let alone use it._"

The mortal nodded slowly and, following Esdras' lead, calmly placed the blade of the weapon against her sleeve. The long scythe folded up and disappeared into the fabric, ready to be called upon at a moment's notice. She moved her arm for a bit, feeling the flow of her cloak and, unexpectedly, laughed. "_It doesn't feel like it's in there._"

Esdras smirked, putting an arm around her shoulders and leading her back to the castle. "_I know. You get used to it, though._"


	23. The End of an Era

This is it, the final chapter of this story! I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. But don't think there's any rest for us, there are many more years to go! Before you know it, I'll be posting the next story. Read down to the bottom to get the name.

In the mean time, I'll be taking a much anticipated break before the HP7 release, but I may write a bit to keep myself ready for final book. I still haven't decided yet. Also, I don't know how long it will take after the HP7 release for me to have GoA5 ready, so if you are interested, I would recommend checking back regularly.

With that said, I give my thanks, as always, to those of you who have read, and even more thanks to those of you who have reviewed:

To the ever faithful KRP – My friend, we are almost finished, thank you for your faithful reviews! But yes, of course Harry is still mad at them, when has he ever not held a grudge against someone? As for R.A.B., I think everyone has already come to the conclusion that he is Regulus Black and that the locket is most likely a Horcrux. Now, the only question left to answer is if it was part of the stuff that Mundungus stole after Sirius died. But, you will notice that I left things just as open to interpretation just like in HBP, just in case. Katie's family will definitely worry about her, but will probably take things in stride. And as for the new power transferring into their normal spellcasting, remember what Transom said: Esdras is no longer fully Dementor and Katie is no longer fully human. What do you think will happen? And of course they'd still have access to the weapon if they changed clothes. It's not really up the sleeve, just in a space accessible only by them. I originally had to come up with a way to quickly and easily store the Glaive for Esdras, and the sleeve was as good a place as any.

All the rest of y'all should review. This is the last chapter of this story, and the last chapter of this series for a while. So please, read, review, and tell me what you think of the series. Anyone reading this story long after I've finished posting should review, as well. I'd love to hear your opinion on it.

And as always, I offer my standard warning. _All text in italics is in Azkabaaner_ and I don't own HP.

* * *

Chapter 23 – The End of an Era 

Gone again were the easy days that Esdras had enjoyed. In a striking replay of the start of the year, New Demnin was again in a state of controlled chaos. The Dementor king had been jarred awake at sunrise by Aaron, who spoke of an amazing sight. Sure enough, as the king and prime minister floated into the air over the lake, Esdras gasped in awe of the sight before him. A great floating mass of Dementors, hundreds of thousands of meek and humble renegades and their families, were approaching the Dementor town. Esdras drew the Glaive of Silence from his sleeve and let the blade catch the light of the morning sun. Slowly but surely, the former renegades approached, once more coming into the fold.

Esdras turned to Aaron, himself in awe as to the sheer number of refugees. "_Are relocation services ready?_"

Aaron nodded vaguely. "_Yes, but I doubt they're prepared for anything on this scale. We didn't plan for an influx anywhere near this size._"

The king laughed slightly. "_You say that like it's a bad thing. Have Admiral Sanguis and the Marines help. It may do the refugees well to be greeted by friendly faces. Make sure a Hospital Division is on duty and another is on standby. And feed them. Feed them until they are full and then feed them again. They have been misled and mistreated, my friend._"

The prime minister saluted and floated away to prepare the way for the refugees. Esdras watched him ignite his afterburners and fly to New Demnin before turning to meet the approaching cloud of Dementors. At the lead was Bardiel Thermis and his wife Elaine, the latter happily holding her resurrected son. The refugee admiral saluted. "_Divine Majesty, I present those who seek asylum, those who wish to return to the unity of the Azkaban Kingdom. We admit our treasonous acts and are prepared to accept the punishment you will impose upon us. We merely beseech you to have mercy upon our wives and the children._"

Esdras nodded slowly to the returning admiral. "_I am prepared to forgo punishment in favor of your loyal service to the Kingdom of Azkaban and the royal house of Demnin. Swear these things to me with the gods as your witnesses and reaffirm your oath as officers and citizens and I will welcome you home without question._" Here the royal Dementor carefully used the blade of the Glaive to lower Bardiel's hood. "_But know this and make sure it is well known, should any of you betray Azkaban, her people, or her king, I will make this life a living hell for you and the afterlife shall be no better. Do not equate my mercy with naiveté or stupidity. Behold, this is the word of both the god of Death and the King of Azkaban. Heed it well._"

Bardiel Thermis, whose eye sockets never left the glowing blade of the Glaive of Silence, shivered slightly. He knelt in midair, humbled and afraid. "_Thy will be done, Esdras, King of Azkaban, heir to the mighty Demnin._"

The king nodded and placed his hand upon the cowering admiral's head. "_Rise, Bardiel, and return my people to me. Lead them to a better life._"

* * *

To say that the Hogwarts graduation ceremony was a subdued affair would be the understatement of the century. Unable to be rescheduled, the ceremony had to take place the morning before Dumbledore's funeral. With very little pomp or circumstance, the diplomas were handed out by a distraught Minerva McGonagall. The ceremony paused twice as she attempted to staunch the flow of tears as she presided over the commencement. None could blame her, especially not the students who had expected one last smile from the cheerful Dumbledore before making their way out in the world. 

With proof of graduation in hand, Esdras and Katie parted company with her brother and parents until the funeral. Both officers would be taking part in the honor guard to be provided by the Azkaban Navy. The Bell family would, of course, be paying their respects at the service.

The affianced couple quickly changed into their naval dress uniforms and Katie grabbed her broom for the flight to New Demnin. Once there, they met up with the rest of the honor guard, consisting of the highest echelon of the Azkaban military, all dressed in dress uniforms, all wearing silver swords and bearing ceremonial silver pikes. Esdras took the ceremonial Swords of Mercy and Temporal Justice from Aaron and began attaching them to his sword belt. Katie secured her own silver sword and pulled her Scythe from her sleeve. She looked on curiously as Esdras secured the Sword of Mercy. "_What about crowns?_"

Esdras shook his head. "_No crowns, not at a funeral. Crowns are for high honors and festivals. At funerals, the hood is always up._" Katie nodded quickly and raised her hood, instantly taking on the appearance of a miniature Dementor. Esdras nodded and raised his own, taking his natural form. Beneath his hood, his mercury eyes reflected everything. He turned to Aaron, who himself was securing his sword, his pike resting on his shoulder. "_Are we ready?_"

Aaron nodded and raised his hood. "_Civilians and all those not on duty have made their way to the lakeshore for the funeral. The honor guard is assembled and ready. Just give the word._"

The king nodded slowly. "_Forward mourn._"

The honor guard rose into the air and exited the town's main entrance. Nineteen Dementors and one mortal, all bearing their ceremonial weapons of choice, slowly made their way across the lake to where hundreds of mortals from all across the country had gathered. Behind the mortals, rank after rank of Dementors, nearly three million strong, filled the sky and all but blocked out the sun. Esdras led the honor guard to where a white marble platform waited. The guard took their places, flanking it with ten on each side, their ceremonial weapons gleaming in the afternoon light.

After the Dementor honor guard took its place, Hagrid began his long, slow march. The groundskeeper, crying piteously and soaking his beard, bore the body of Albus Dumbledore in his massive arms. Slowly, he made his way to the platform and laid the body, draped in purple cloth with cheerful golden stars, on the sun-warmed stone. As the ceremony began, Esdras was granted a front row seat to the last tribute of the most powerful wizard in the world. He chose not to listen to most of the speakers, especially Scrimgeour, who filled his eulogy with politically correct sentiments and declarations of how the world would not be the same. After a number of wizards had made their remarks, Rufus Scrimgeour stepped to the podium and spoke, albeit reluctantly. "We will now hear a few words from His Divine Majesty King Esdras of Azkaban."

Esdras calmly glided forward and took the podium that the Minister of Magic had abandoned. He was silent for a moment and let the Glaive of Silence rest on his shoulder. When he spoke, the grating whisper of his voice carried far across the quiet crowd. "Death and loss are perhaps felt harder by Dementors than by mortals. Our longevity and resilience to mortal injury makes the finality of death all the more jarring to those who survive the deceased. When such sad occasions do occur, every chance is made to examine the life the deceased lived and try to learn from them. In this way do we honor our dead." He paused and cast his mercuric eyes about the seated mortals. "Dumbledore was many things to many people, but he always strived to be a teacher before all else, so let us once again learn from him. What lesson can we learn from Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore?" Silence reigned and the Dementor spoke again after a time. "The greatest lesson that Dumbledore ever sought to teach, especially in these trying times, is that the one thing that can save the world and protect it from all evil is love. I would say that there are quite a few here who would already heartily agree."

Esdras looked around and, sure enough, in the audience, the now ruggedly scarred Bill Weasley gripped Fleur Delacour's hand a little tighter. Likewise did Tonks take Lupin's and lean against his shoulder. The Dementor King now cast his hood towards his subjects floating behind the mortals. "Dumbledore was the first mortal to put trust in my people in over a thousand years. For that, all of Azkaban owes him a tremendous debt which can never be repaid." Here Esdras looked to Katie. "And perhaps I, personally, owe him more than the sum of my people, combined." From beneath her hood, Katie met his gaze with a soft smile. Esdras turned back to the crowd and continued. "Now, almost four years later, Dementors and mortals are living side by side in a spirit of peace, understanding, and cooperation. These qualities and the trust that Dumbledore displayed are all fundamentally based on love. Dumbledore knew this well and strived to teach this lesson to us. Let us honor his memory by continuing his work and teaching this lesson to others."

Turning away from the podium, the royal Dementor floated back to his place at the head of the honor guard. There was a moment's pause, and Esdras was glad they had been briefed on what to expect. With a blinding flash, the marble platform that Dumbledore rested upon burst into a towering column of sparks. When they died away, a great marble tomb had formed upon the platform where the body lay. Below the waters of the lake, a haunting song echoed from the depths as the Merpeople sang their praises of the fallen man. From the Forbidden Forest, the Centaurs saluted with volley after volley of arrows from the trees. And lastly, with full afterburners roaring, four Dementors flew in formation over the lake. At the last moment, the commander to the right of the formation leader angled sharply upward and engaged a Vault cloak, arcing into the heavens with a brilliant pillar of silver flame and leaving the position empty as the formation raced over the white sarcophagus.

As the mortals stared in awe of the graceful aerial maneuver, Katie and Esdras, at the opposite sides of the tomb, both dropped their weapons at once. The Glaive of Silence and the Scythe of Death both hit the ground with the force of a small earthquake, their blades burying deep into the soil to show that, for this man, their powers no longer held influence. From beneath her hood, Katie spoke. The resounding sonic boom of the Vault cloaked Dementor almost drowning out her words. "Rest in peace."

* * *

It took Esdras and Katie both a few minutes to pick up and clean the dirt from their weapons. But when complete, Esdras dismissed the honor guard. Aaron paused only to embrace his ancient friend before leading the Dementors back across the lake to New Demnin. As they floated off into the distance, Esdras sighed and turned to face the marble tomb. He reached into the sleeve of his cloak and pulled out a small bundle of Azkaban Green Mint sprigs. He placed the bundle on the tomb and the rested his gloved hand upon the cool stone. "_The blessing of the gods of Azkaban be upon you and remain with you always. And may the gods themselves see you safely down the path you must travel and guide you to your final rest._" 

His last duty complete, Esdras turned slowly from the tomb and into Katie's waiting arms. Together, the two once again fell to tears and remained in that state for a long while. Finally, Katie pulled away and wiped her eyes on her cloak. Her voice was thick with tears. "_I don't want to go back to the castle yet._"

Esdras nodded softly and took her hand before taking mortal form beside her. "_Of course. Let's go for a walk, then._"

Hand in hand, the pair slowly made their way around the lake, taking in the idyllic grounds for what could possibly be their last time as students. They were understandably quiet and simply enjoyed each other's company. This was until Ginny Weasley ran headlong into the pair and bounced off Esdras. From the amount of tears in her eyes, it was obvious that she couldn't see where she was going. When the young redhead finally saw who she had run into, she fell into Esdras' arms. Katie stroked her hair. "I know…I miss him, too."

Ginny shook her head and wiped the tears from her eyes. Her voice was bitter and sad all at once. "No, it's not that. It's Harry. He broke up with me."

Katie could see Esdras visibly tense, but what really worried her was how he ground his teeth and how his eyes seem to glow a violent, acidic green. Esdras quickly and carefully placed Ginny into Katie's arms and spoke emotionlessly. "Please excuse me for a moment."

He was gone before either girl could object, floating quickly along the lakefront with murder in his eyes. He finally saw Harry standing with Ron and Hermione a few hundred feet away. He landed and walked with purpose towards the trio. Hermione saw him coming and motioned to Harry. The scarred mortal turned around and glared. "What do you…?"

Harry was unable to finish his question before Esdras drew his hand back and struck the mortal across the face. The Boy Who Lived was sent flying fifty feet across the grass and when he landed, Esdras advanced upon him. "Get up so I can knock you down again!" Behind him, he heard Ron and Hermione reach for their wand and drew the Swords at his waist. With an inhuman back flip, he landed between them and placed a platinum sword at each of their necks. His voice was calm. "Leave. Now."

Hermione was always smart on the uptake, and this time was no exception. Harry had told her of the breakup, and since she was currently unavailable to listen to Ginny's plight, the first place the redhead would have sought refuge and a shoulder to cry on was with Esdras and Katie. Seeing as how Esdras hadn't killed Harry immediately, it was clear that the Dementor only wanted to talk. Despite the swords at their throats, they were all perfectly safe. She quickly pulled Ron away by the arm, silencing his concerns. When Esdras turned to face his quarry, Harry was standing, his wand drawn. He pointed it at the Dementor. "What the hell is this about, Esdras?"

The Dementor growled, bringing his swords to bear at Harry. His voice was thick with the harsh whisper of his native accent. "Ginny. Crying. Explain."

The scarred mortal glared. "I did what I had to do, Esdras. She'll be in danger if we're together. Voldemort won't hesitate to use her to get to me."

Esdras roared in anger. "Foolish mortal, she's in danger no matter what you do! Do you really think she'll be safer if you break up with her? Do you think that Voldemort will think that you no longer love her or that she is any less a viable target because you have broken up with her?" He narrowed his mercuric eyes, his anger causing them to glow white along with the green of his irises. "I have news for you, mortal. No one is safe. Not you, not Ginny, not Katie, not I, not Tonks, not Lupin, not Bill, not Fleur. Should I go on?" He didn't wait for Harry to reply. Instead, his voice grew in intensity and desperation, taking on a more mortal pitch and accent as he gestured wildly with the swords still in hand. "You deny love in a time when we need it more than ever. You spit upon the memory and legacy of Dumbledore. Love is the greatest power that we have against the Death Eaters. All you need is love! I should think that you of all people would know this!"

Harry narrowed his eyes and straightened his back. "Shut up! This is my decision to make and my battle to fight! I know what I'm going to do and you will not stop me."

The Dementor growled and leveled the Sword of Mercy at Harry, keeping eye contact with the mortal over the broken platinum blade. "You are an ignorant ass." He began to sheath the two swords quickly. "But if you want to do this on your own, fine. Gods forbid I try to stop you. Be the hero in this epic story and see how far you get alone. I wouldn't dream of stopping you."

Esdras Demnin spun around with a flourish of cloaks and took off into the air, leaving the Boy Who Lived alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Embarkation of the Hogwarts Express was blessedly uneventful, but Esdras had taken no chances. No longer did he assign mere divisions to guard the train. This trip was protected by ten fleets of infantry. In addition to this, three fleets of engineers were flying ahead of the train and checking the track, tunnels, and bridges for sabotage. Another two fleets were standing guard at Kings Cross to guard the parents awaiting the arrival of their children. All told, no less than fifteen thousand Dementors were on duty. 

Inside the train, it was as silent as a grave. Esdras occupied a compartment with Katie, Roger, Demelza Robins, and a sullen Ginny. Cho had left to go sit with Marietta the moment the redhead had arrived and Ben was on a quest to get the last few addresses he didn't have yet from his friends. Ginny had hardly spoken since she arrived, but the concerned graduates were able to glean that she had been exiled from the cabin where Harry, Hermione, and Ron were sitting and plotting. She had been crying, something that Esdras doubted she would ever do in front of Harry, and, after being given a soft pillow and a blanket, she had fallen into a fitful sleep, curled up with her head against the Dementor's leg.

The others sighed sadly and looked to each other for conversation. Esdras pointed to the stack of letters on top of Katie's trunk. He spoke in a whisper to avoid waking Ginny. "Who are all the letters from?"

Katie grabbed them and started flipping through them. "Let's see. This one is from Angelina; she's playing for Tutshill now and has put in a good word for me there. They want me to try out. This one is from Oliver Wood; he's off Puddlemere's reserve team so his spot is open. He also wants to know if we're still dating." She shared a smirk with Esdras before going on to the next letter. "The Holyhead Harpies want me to try out as well. Apparently I impressed Gwenog Jones at that Slug Club dinner in March."

Esdras narrowed his hood. "I'm not sure if I'd like you playing for the Harpies. They're rather violent, aren't they? And don't they put out a risqué calendar of the team each year?"

Katie sighed and rolled her eyes. "Among other things. But it's only an offer for a try out, Esdras." She looked over to Roger, who had his arm around Demelza. "What about you?"

Roger smiled. "Actually, I've accepted a position in the research and design department at the Firebolt Corporation. I have no idea how I got it, either. There had to have been better candidates."

The Dementor smirked. "Maybe someone put in a good word for you."

The mortal looked slightly shocked, then quickly recovered. "Another Slug Club contact?"

Esdras shrugged. "I might as well put them to good use since I won't be using them. The way I figure it, I did them a favor. They had narrowed their choice down to between you and Miles Bletchley. The last thing Firebolt needs is someone like Bletchley working for them." Roger smirked at this and nodded his thanks before the Dementor looked to Demelza. "How about you? Will you be coming back to Hogwarts next year?"

Demelza sighed and shrugged. "I have no idea, really. They haven't even announced if they're going to open the school yet. I haven't talked to my parents about it, but you can bet I'm going to fight to come back. I feel perfectly safe in a heavily fortified castle guarded by Dementors."

The Dementor stifled a laugh. "When did Hogwarts turn into Azkaban Prison?" The others laughed softly, being careful not to wake Ginny. Finally, Esdras sighed happily. "Everyone's doing such exciting things. I'll be stuck in New Demnin ruling over the Commonwealth. Maybe if I'm lucky I'll be able to try out for the Azkaban Quidditch team." He sighed. "Once this war is over, at least."

Katie leaned against his shoulder and spoke sagely, echoing words told to her not too long ago. "We won't always live in this world. You have your best years ahead of you, and this war isn't going to last forever. You should do what you want while you can."

Esdras smiled softly. "You use my words against me, my darling."

The blonde mortal shrugged and leaned against his shoulder, running a hand through her black highlights and enjoying the view out the window as they trundled through the countryside. In the reflection on the window she could see her pitch black and brown eyes. She sighed softly, and her voice was soft when she finally spoke. "Nothing will be easy anymore, you know."

The Dementor nodded and looked out the window with her, his eyes of mercury and glowing green providing a counterpoint to her dark orbs. "Perhaps not, but nothing worth doing is ever easy." He held her tighter. "But this, all this…this is worth fighting for."

* * *

THE END of CROWN OF THE KING 

But don't worry, Esdras Demnin will be back in…

ENDGAME

The fifth book in the "Guardian of Azkaban" series.


End file.
